Larry Bird Net Worth (Money & Salary)

Find Out Larry Bird’s Net Worth, Salary, and Career Earnings!

Discover the net worth of Larry Bird, a retired professional basketball player turned business executive, totaling a generous $75 million. Larry Bird’s legacy in the basketball world is marked by his extraordinary basketball IQ, precise shooting skills, and relentless work ethic, making him an asset on both offensive and defensive fronts.

Throughout his illustrious career, Bird clinched three NBA Championships (1981, 1984, 1986), secured two NBA Finals MVP titles, and bagged three consecutive NBA MVP awards from 1984 to 1986, solidifying his status among basketball elites. He participated in 12 All-Star Games and remains one of the select few to join the revered 50-40-90 club, a testament to his exceptional shooting efficiency.

Besides his on-court prowess, Bird ventured into coaching and front-office positions, notably leading the Indiana Pacers as a coach and later serving as their President of Basketball Operations. His legendary rivalry with Magic Johnson, spanning from college basketball days into their professional careers, elevated his fame, establishing him not just as a sports icon but also as a legend in sports history.

Salary & Career Earnings

Larry Bird amassed a total of $24 million in salary during his NBA tenure. In the late stages of 1988, during a break to recover from foot surgery, Bird negotiated a groundbreaking contract extension. This extension made him the first player across team sports to earn over $6 million in salary within a single season. However, to comply with the Celtics’ salary cap limitations, he agreed to receive the bulk of the payment in the 1991-1992 season. As evidenced by the chart below, Bird’s salary surged from $1.5 million in the 1990-1991 season to slightly over $7 million in the 1991-1992 season.

• 1979-80: $650,000
• 1980-81: $650,000
• 1981-82: $650,000
• 1982-83: $650,000
• 1983-84: $650,000
• 1984-85: $1,800,000
• 1985-86: $1,800,000
• 1987-88: $1,800,000
• 1988-89: $1,800,000
• 1989-90: $2,750,000
• 1990-91: $1,500,000
• 1991-92: $7,070,000
• 1992-93: $2,300,000

Earnings (13 seasons): $24,070,000

Early Life

Born on December 7, 1956, in West Baden Springs, Indiana, Larry Joe Bird is the offspring of Georgia and Claude Joseph “Joe” Bird. His father, a Korean War veteran, and his mother worked tirelessly to support Larry and his five siblings. Following his parents’ split during his high school years and his father’s subsequent tragic demise, Bird sought solace in basketball. Excelling at Springs Valley High School, he averaged 31 points, 21 rebounds, and four assists as a senior.

College Career

While initially wrestling with challenges at Indiana University in 1974, Bird dropped out after a brief stint and later found his stride at Indiana State University in 1975 following a detour to Northwood Institute. He achieved college basketball success with the Indiana State Sycamores, propelling the team to its first NCAA tournament appearance in 1979. Despite falling short in the 1979 championship game against Michigan State, the match garnered record-breaking viewership for a college basketball game at that time. Bird graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science in Physical

Larry Bird excelled in his college career, averaging 30.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game while winning prestigious awards like the Naismith College Player of the Year Award.

Professional Basketball Career

The Boston Celtics selected Bird with the sixth overall pick in the 1978 NBA draft but he opted to finish his final season at Indiana State before joining. Larry signed a landmark five-year, $3.25 million contract with the Celtics, becoming the highest-paid rookie in sports history at that time after extended negotiations. His debut game for the Celtics resulted in a victory over the Houston Rockets, contributing 14 points, ten rebounds, and five assists. Bird’s rookie season culminated with averages of 21.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.7 steals per game, earning accolades such as being named an All-Star and Rookie of the Year.

Throughout his career, Bird played for the Celtics until his retirement in 1992. His achievements include winning three consecutive MVP Awards, being a 12-time NBA All-Star, securing three NBA championships, and being the first player to achieve 50% or better in field goals, 40% in three-pointers, and 90% in free throws in a single NBA season. However, ongoing back problems plagued him in his later playing years.

Coaching and Business Career

Following his playing career, Bird transitioned into coaching and business roles. He stayed as a special assistant with the Celtics until 1997, then became the head coach of the Indiana Pacers for a successful three-year stint. Bird’s coaching tenure included leading the Pacers to Central Division titles in 1999 and 2000, along with winning the NBA Coach of the Year award in 1998.

In 2003, Bird returned to the Pacers organization as the president of basketball operations. He made history by winning the NBA Executive of the Year award, adding to his previous MVP and Coach of the Year achievements in the league. After a brief departure in 2012, Bird resumed his role as the president of basketball operations for the Pacers.

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Data is from 2023 and 2024, and projected data extends to 2025, 2026, 2027, and 2028.

 

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* This information was taken from various sources around the world, including these countries:

Australia, Canada, USA, UK, UAE, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Indonesia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya, US, United Kingdom, United States of America, Malaysia, U.S., South Africa, New Zealand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates.

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antarctica, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan.

Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Bouvet Island, Brazil, British Indian Ocean Territory, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi.

Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling Islands), Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Croatia (Hrvatska), Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic.

Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Faroe Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, Metropolitan, French Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern Territories.

Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Heard and McDonald Islands, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy.

Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg.

Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar.

Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, New Zealand (NZ), Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway.

Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe.

Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Helena, St. Pierre and Miquelon, Sudan, Suriname, Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria.

Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates (UAE), UK (United Kingdom), USA (United States of America, U.S.), US Minor Outlying Islands.

Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican City State (Holy See), Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands (British), Virgin Islands (US), Wallis and Futuna Islands, Western Sahara, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Post Title: Larry Bird Net Worth (Money & Salary)
Last Updated: October 9, 2024