Spike Lee: Larry Bird Most Overated Player in NBA History.

ESPN | 3/21/04 | CWB

[bondjamesbond]

I haven't bothered to read the comments, but I will chime in with one comment. People would go on and on about how hard Larry Bird worked and how naturally talented Magic Johnson was. The truth is they were both naturally talented and they both worked their butts off to stay at the top of the game. But the white guy's success was credited to his work ethic and the black guy's success was a gift from a benificent God.

I don't know, draw your own conclusion.

[Oberon]

Larry Bird Most Overated Player in NBA History.

Okay, time for Spike to put up or shut up. Let's get him on the court with Mr. Bird for a little one-on-one.

[Colonel_Flagg]

I think they could save everyone a lot of time if they just gave both teams 100 points with 30 seconds remaining on the clock.

In today's NBA, the number would be closer to 80 points.

[Colonel_Flagg]

Three great centers, to be sure, but it is hard to leave out the man who invented the modern center position - George Mikan. Shoulda picked four ;)

[cherry]

"One thing for sure, Bird had a brain and was ahead of the others on the floor at all times."

Byrd was not the most graceful, or the most athletic, but he knew how to win games, which is something that today's players haven't a clue, unless it means them making a solo drive to the basket to be a hero....

its all about heroes today, not players....

[PallMal]

When one thinks of the term "overated" in terms of sports, there are usually these scenarios for such a term:

The person who is "overated" is:

1) a great player who never brought the rest of the team along, i.e. the team is still a poor or mediocre performing bunch.

2) A good player who was surrounded by stars, enhancing the player from good to great.

3) A great player who does not perform when it really counts, i.e. in championship level play.

4) A great player who's level of play peaks for one, maybe two years, and then just becomes a mediocre player afterwards

These are the three terms usually used to define "overated". Let's examine all three vis-a-vis Larry Bird:

1) When Larry Bird joined the Celtics, the Celtics were at the bottom of their division, unlike when Magic Johnson joined the Lakers. The Celtics immediately became contenders when Bird joined the team, where there was no Kevin McHale, an Robert Parish was just another center.

2) See #1 above.

3) No need to answer for number 3. Bird was a key player in all of the Celtic's championships.

4) No need to answer this one, especially when you see the lifetime stats of Bird.

So either Lee is delusional, a racist, or both.

[PallMal]

Should be "These are the four terms" not three terms.

[N. Theknow]

Spike Lee is responsible for confusing the hood by making a movie called "Malcolm X"

Everybody was wondering how they could have missed the first 9 Malcolm movies.

[SoCal Pubbie]

Of the names you mentioned, only one holds records that will never be broken. Wilt Chamberlain. A very good argument can be made that Wilt is the greatest player ever, even though I reject the whole idea of such ratings.