Imagine Larry Bird playing in the modern-day NBA that puts a premium on outdoors shooting.
Dennis Rodman can’t.
He said Bird would not remain in the league … or perhaps in the nation.
“If Larry Bird played in this era, I think he’d be in Europe,” Rodman said throughout an interview with VladTV. “I’m just letting you know, man. He’d be somewhere over there. His game was fit for Boston at that time in the 80s and stuff like that. Today’s world, oh hell no, there’s no way. I’m not downplaying him because he was a great player at that time, just like I was, but I’m saying no, there’s no way.”
So, Bird, a 12-time All-Star and three-time NBA champ who shot 37.6 percent from deep throughout his profession, would be playing overseas in present day?
Rodman may argue that the modern-day video game has actually ended up being to quick, flexible and athletic for the 6-foot-9 Bird, understood more for his shooting expertise and basketball IQ than his running and leaping capability.
But Bird was the establishing member of the NBA’s 50-40-90 club, shooting half from the field, 40 percent from 3-point variety and 90 percent from the free-throw line in one season. And he is among just 3 gamers to do so on several events.
Pretty sure among today’s 30 NBA groups would gamble on him.
The 3-point line was embraced by the NBA throughout Bird’s novice season in 1979. Even as one of the best shooters of his generation, Bird tried simply 1.9 3s per video game throughout his 13-year NBA profession, an overall that in today’s video game is less than numerous beginning centers.
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, a two-time MVP who captured his first NBA title this season, has shot 34.8 percent on 2.9 three-point attempts per game in his career. Like Bird, he boasts an elite all-around skill set that is not built on athleticism.
“He’s slow as hell. He plays slow, but that guy got a game,” Rodman said of Jokic. “I think he’s better than Larry Bird, I mean, in this day and age, yeah. I’m saying he can shoot that three like woosh, my God. So, wow. Compare him to Larry Bird, I think people pick him.”