In 1979, when Larry Bird joined the Boston Celtics, he launched a
new era in basketball, both in Beantown and throughout the NBA. Bird
got his start in a small Indiana town, where he led Springs Valley High
School to the state sectional championship. In 1979, Bird led Indiana
State to the NCAA Championship Game. Turning pro at a time when the
league and the Celtics needed a boost, Bird and fellow rookie sensation
Magic Johnson rejuvenated the NBA world. Bird's court savvy, deft
passing, and clutch shooting forever redefined the small forward
position and turned the Celtics into winners. When Bird retired in
1992, he held or shared 27 Celtics' records and brought three more NBA
championship banners to Boston (1981, 1984, and 1986). At the end of
his legendary thirteen-year career with the Celtics, Bird's famous
number 33 jersey was retired by the team.