I’m a lifelong Laker fan who grew up hating Larry Bird. I really mean it- I hated him. In my 50’s now, I’m not ashamed to admit that Larry Bird is my all-time favorite player. Can’t get enough of the videos about him. What a competitor. His life story is an inspiration.
Lifelong Sixers fan, and almost your same age, and Im the same as you. I HATED Larry Bird as a kid lol. I was a Dr. J guy, and Larry and the Celtics ruined so many of our seasons, so I despised the guy. All these decades later, Larry Bird is my all time favorite player, and its not even close. He could do EVERYTHING on a basketball court, and he prepared and played the game the right way.
Larry Bird was the BEST PLAYER in the NBA in the mid-80's. Three straight MVP's. He was unbelievable to watch. There will never be another Larry Bird!!!
Yes arguably the most clutch PLAYER of all time and I highlighted player because it wasn't just his shooting,he has one of the most iconic clutch plays in all of NBA playoffs history when he stole the in bounds from Thomas and then had the vision to hit a cutting DJ for the GW FG and the Celts not only stayed alive,but they won the series!!Birds D is finally gaining a bit of respect as it should cuz he was far better then people remember!?!?He wasn't a very good man defender,but was a great team defender,reaching in passing lanes,poking the ball away,this is why he was a three time all NBA 2nd team,so what he lacked in quickness,especially after maybe his 83 season,as that's when it seemed his speed got even slower,he more then made up for with his vision and ball IQ
Those were the greatest days of the NBA. Listening to stories from players as if they were playing in pickup games brings a different perspective from how I watched the games over 30 years ago.
As a young person, Benson sounds like he made some poor life decisions in bowing to peer pressure and bullying. As an adult I believe he changed all this and won recognition for his citizenship. We all have things we would change from our early years.
You didn't even play the sucker punch by Jabbar. Give an elbow back, but don't punch a man in the face with his hands down. That is what happened a few months later with Kermit, and Kareem was standing right next to the man that got punched. Jabbar also struck Bird with an unprovoked elbow to his face.
Kareem started that fight where Kermit hit Rudy T. It started under the basket with Kareem. I guess the Lakers were trying to "get tough" that year after being handled by Walton and Lucas in the '77 playoffs. Remember, Jabbar was considered lazy and soft at that point in his career. Jerry West was the Lakers coach at the time.
I was lucky to be a Celtics fan starting when my family moved to Boston in the 1960s, and even luckier to have moved back to Boston as a young adult during the 80s. I got to watch this wonderful athlete put the Celts on his back time after time. I will never be as amazed by a basketball player as I was by Bird then. I nearly took him for granted then, because he was just kind of an accepted part of Boston life -- but I sure don't take him for granted now!
I was thinking he knocked the wind out of Kareem. It's pretty easy when the diaphragm gets hit just right. It's like getting hit in the funny bone. It doesn't need to be hard, just in the right spot. And the elbow is just a giant stylus. I'm certain Benson didn't know the elbow would land exactly there, but I also don't think he cared if he realized it before he got popped. either.
In Knight's defense, 1. it was tough back then to realize how great Bird was going to turn out. 2. things were different back then. College coaches (coaches in general) didnt care about a player's 'situation' (like Bird was in) back then. Coaches back then thought that what Benson was giving Bird was 'tough love'. Still, I'm sure that Bobby Knight would have loved to have been able to go back in time and made sure that he had taken care of Bird. If Bird had went to IU...Knight may have the 2nd most championships of all time (only behind John Wooden)....instead of only having 3.
Knight has since stated that he "mishandled" Bird. To be fair, Bird's potential wasn't fully apparent at that point (and he grew 4" or more between his time at IU and his time at ISU). On the positive side, Bird DID have Mel Daniels as an assistant coach and mentor at ISU - which may have helped Bird develop even MORE.
@@Amick44 Yes Rodman said it after Bird stole that inbound pass during game 5 of the ECF from an inbound pass from Isaiah Thomas, after the Pistons loss, Rodman said if Bird was white, he'd just be another player and when a reporter told Thomas in the locker room what Rodman had said, Thomas said Bird is an exceptional talent but I'd have to agree with what Rodman said and he proceeded to laugh,, Isaiah purposely took the heat because he knew if Rodman had, being a young and not yet really an established player he would not know how to handle it
Benson was actually a very decent man and ball player. I've met him several times, even when he pkayed, and he has a huge heart. A lot of guys act immature when they get elevated in the pecking order, and I think that that was all that was going on at IU. It goes to show you how the great ones use slights as motivation.
Especially the same for me. Me and my friends were Knicks fans. Me ABA nets too. And Willis used to give us instructions on playing at Lost Battalion Hall. He used to practice there. He lived a few blocks away like we did. Wounderfull classy good guy.
@Paul15. kicked ahole Kareems butt every time they played. Only won 2 NBA championships. MVP of one. Played with a broken ankle. Historic. Later becane GM. Guess you don't know much about basketball.
It so astounding that in a conversation that about Larry bird from out of nowhere his comes a LBJ hater. It just so amazing how LBJ will live forever Rent Free in these people mind 😮😂😂
Love Bird. Saw him out in Indy just hanging out with friends years ago. Nice to everyone. Plus I went to ISU so i got to see him when we got good in bball around 97'.
I would say that when the Celtics played a team with Kent Benson on it, Bird probably averaged around 40 points per game. And Boston probably won 80-90% of those games !
Kent Benson today is actually a pretty nice guy. He used to come to the place i worked for a celebrity golf tournament every year. I had a chance to meet him for that once around 2015 and he handed me his NCAA Championship ring to check out. Very awesome experience!
Isiah was also an asshole when he was a player, but has mellowed out a LOT since then. But it wasn't MJ ONLY that denied Isiah from the Dream Team - it was more like HALF OF THE OTHER PLAYERS PICKED that refused to play with him.
Bird’s basketball IQ was off the charts. Guys that were average players became better just by playing with him and guys that were good players became HOFers.
Knights ego was driven by being one of the all-time greatest coaches. Though no higher than #2 with a strong Hoosier association, since Wooten was a NATIVE Hoosier.
Isaiah's mother was a teacher at my school in the 90s and early 90s. That was awesome cause we got to watch so many games and highlights in spare time.
I was an IU fan and a huge fan of those ‘75 & ‘76 IU teams, and I can say unequivocally that Benson definitely got what he deserved from Kareem and from Larry.
Thumbs down for a stupid comment, as no player deserves to be sucker punched in a basketball game. Jabbar was giving as good as he was getting with elbows of big men in the paint. That doesn't give him the right to throw a sucker punch to the face.
@@MultiEviscerator It wasn’t a sucker punch. If you watch the video, Kareem comes around to at least the front side before hitting Benson. He didn’t hit him from behind. That’s the best video of the shot that I’ve ever seen.
@@projoebiochem This coming from a guy who said "Benson definitely got what he deserved from Kareem". A sucker punch does not have to totally come from behind, rather it means a punch delivered that is unexpected. Many a sucker punch can come from the side or even in the front if the person on the receiving end, who is not expecting it. There is no way any NBA player would expect another player to hall off and hit them in the face in the middle of the game. Heck Benson claimed he had received an elbow from Jabbar earlier, and presumably he was returning the favor with the elbow he gave. That said, and even if Benson was a jerk (which it sounded like he might be via the Bird issue at IU), what Jabbar did was cowardly and unacceptable during a game. If he wanted a piece of Benson, it should be done after the game, with both of them going at it man to man.
@@MultiEviscerator This was before the Kermit Washington/Rudy Tomjanovich incident which occurred later that same season. It was common for players to take care of disputes on the spot, so Benson should have been ready. When I was a kid going to ABA Pacers games, there was a fight about half the time. I had a coach that told us, “If a fight starts, go ahead and get your punches in. Someone will break it up before anyone can get hurt.” It wasn’t uncommon for a fight to result in no fouls and no technicals. The attitude was very much - let the boys handle it.
@@projoebiochem For starters, I am 6'7" 240 and played basketball in HS & a short time in college, so I know the sport from the inside, as well as a fan. I also pitched baseball in HS and only mention that because I also fully understand the concept of "getting your punches in", and/or expecting retaliation. To cover baseball first, if a hitter shows up the defense, or they are stealing signs, or some other violation of the rules, many a pitcher such as myself was sent out under orders the next inning to plunk the first batter (or sometimes wait for the individual offender). However, just as I was taught as a kid (and how I taught my kids), you can go for the legs, waist or maybe even the ribs, but you do not headhunt. The reason is simple, you could paralyze or kill the hitter if you strike him in the face/head. The same is true of a batter who decides to charge the mound after getting hit, you drop the bat before you head toward the pitcher. In basketball, you get in your forearms to the back, elbows to the gut/ribs, etc., but you do not haul off and punch a player in the face, especially blindsided. Benson got in his retaliatory elbow, then continued to play defense, but he didn't coldcock Jabbar for having elbowed him earlier. Sometimes a punch to the head can kill another person, even if it is because the unconscious persons head hits the ground. So if guys want to square up and fight, as Thin Lizzy says in their biggest hit "if the boys want to fight, you better let them. But that is much different being a coward and throwing a sucker punch when the other guy isn't looking!
Great video. I had no idea that it was Kent Benson who made Bird leave IU. I always heard that he was home sick and that the campus was too big. I also heard that Knight walked right by him without acknowledging he was there. Why the hell didn't Knight control Benson? He turned a blind eye on his bullying. I think maybe Knight condoned his bullying. Good for Bird he didn't gave Knight four more rings to this A-hole.
It Wasn't Because Of Benson, Bird Has Said Over & Over It Was Mainly Because He Didn't Have The Funds/Money To Stay There. Bird Doesn't Lie About His Life If It Were REALLY All Benson He Would Have Said So In All Those Interviews. Now I Believe Bird Probably Thought Benson Was Just A Plus With His Reason To Leave. Remember College Players Weren't Getting Helping Out Funds Back Then & Especially Freshmen.
@@Amick44 Like I Said Benson Wasn’t Close To The Main Reason. There’s an interview out here on YT somewhere. Where the main College He ended up going to; That Those Players Weren’t All Nice To Him Either. He Couldn’t Play His First Year There Either. But He Would Still Get To Practice With Them. Well The Starters Were Complaining To The Coach About Him. The Coach Said To Larry; Larry I Need To Take It A Little Easy On Them Because I Need Them To Believe That They Can Win. And When You Come Out Here in Practice Your Making Them Look Bad. Larry Said To His Coach, Why Can’t They Take their Butt Wooping Like A Man. You Would Think That Would Want Themselves To Work Harder Then To Get Better. The Coach Thought, Well Your Right About That. And Larry Said It Was Hard There The First Few Years Because The Were Kinda Jealous Of Him. And Then When The Sports Media Stated Wanting Interviews With Him That Even Made It Worse At Times. He didn’t like doing interviews in the first place. So He would dodge them and get other players to take the interview’s. But then the Media Ass’s would turn it into Asking Them about Larry. So That Made His Teammates Recent Him Again. Just Saying Larry Is Not The Type To Let Someone Like Benson Be The Main Reason To Leave A School.
Not true - but it's ALMOST true for all of those that played against him that they called him the best at at least PART of the game of all their opponents - usually pointing to his court smarts.
@@iec7587 There are MANY videos of many players talking about the GOAT - I grant that a majority seem to put MJ there, but there are quite a few that don't. Kareem has been evasive every time that I've seen, usually listing players that were the best at one or two specific aspects but NOT an actual GOAT choice, for example - and regularly citing Bird for his "muscle up here" while pointing to his head. MJ himself (and Kareem has said similar as well) never claims anyone as GOAT, usually because "I never played against many of the greatest". There are at least 2 series of videos, one per player in each series, one named "making the case" and I forget the name of the other series, for something like 9 or 10 players to be the GOAT as well.
I hated Larry Legend because he was so damn good, but never the man. He'd beat your team and stick a dagger in the heart with smoothness and skill like no other. I'd call him the greatest at what he does and definitely in the top 5 greatest ever.
I saw Benson punch a wall and break his hand at his car dealership in 1991. His partner at the Chevy dealership in New Castle made him mad, can't remember what upset him though. My step-dad was the GM, and Benson's partner was his mentor. Benson was definitely full of himself!
@@tarrellsmith3260 Bird won that game and swept the bulls out that series. Jordan did not win in the 80's because Larry Legend was kicking his🐎. Jordan did not start winning until all the 80's dynasties were gone. Most overrated human that ever lived.
@@debbiehenson1096 Bird or the 5 HOFers on Boston? Idk why y’all say “Bird swept Jordan” as if those other 4 HOFers don’t have the same record vs Jordan😂 You so know Bird never won anything without McHale? Pretty sure it was Bird, McHale, Dennis Johnson, Parish and Walton not “bIrD”
😄 Good ending. I think..... Bird going to ISU, just as it happened, was what was meant to be. All part of ☘️ Larry Legend. I wonder if Benson remembered Bird from IU?
He studied Jeet Kun Do under Bruce Lee. He should have known better. I also studied Jeet Kun Do. That wasn't a Jeet Kun Do punch. If he threw a Jeet Kun Do punch, he wouldn't have broken his hand.
@@Davivd2 Bruce Lee never fought in his life, he was just a movie actor. Saying you learned Bullshido from Bruce Lee is the same as saying you learned boxing from Silvester Stallone.
Karma and payback is a motha, little did Benson know that this guy would go on and become one of the greatest players to ever step foot on an NBA court and I love how every time Bird played Benson he would abuse the hell out of him and there wasn't a damn thing Benson could do about except take it.
Kent Benson literally changed basketball history...on so many levels. IU would have had a dynasty from 1975 through at least Isiah Thomas' last year in 1981...IF Benson wasnt such a douchebag. Larry Bird on those late 70's IU teams....imagine. If Bird had played all 4 years at IU...no way does he last to the 6th pick in the 1978 Draft...where Boston drafted him. Bird would have no doubt went #1....changing the history of The NBA when it came to The Celtics-Lakers rivalry. Also, Michigan State-Indiana St 1979 Championship game doesnt happen (Bird would have been a senior in 1978 IF he had stayed at IU.....but because he sat out a year after dropping out of IU...his 4 year college career was delayed by 1 year before he enrolled at Indiana State). Bird was drafted in 1978 (even though he ended up coming back to ISU for his senior year, Bird was draft eligible because it had been 4 years since he graduated high school....allowing Boston to draft Bird as a junior. The rule back then allowed a team to keep the rights to a player in college right up to the following year's draft. The NBA changed that rule the following season)....he'd have been a senior at IU....meaning that his showdown with Magic in 1979 never happens. While things ended up happening magically historically when it came to Bird-Magic....it still doesnt alleviate Benson from being a total DOUCHE.
I live in Bloomington Indiana home of IU and not far from french lick where bird is from. he did not leave IU for ISU because of being bullied by kent benson. that is outright not true.
Being from Milwaukee, this was a huge deal. Gotta remember Lew Alcindor was drafted by the Bucks. One of the worst teams in the NBA at the time. Kareem, as he was then known. Was a big Hollywood actor that had recently starred in Bruce Lee's now classic movie "Enter The Dragon". I think it was an ego thing, that Kareem let get to him, who was normally a very humble guy. Maybe some racist overtones creeping into people minds. Added fuel to the fire. When your from the streets of the Midwest like I'm from. You don't liver elbow someone, especially Kareem. And then stand there looking the other way with your hands on your hips. The punch didn't look that vicious. Until you saw the result. Dropped him. I actually felt bad for Kareem in a way. Cause I know I'd have jacked his jaw way harder. Dude was a creep. His career went absolutely nowhere. Starting that day.
Just got back from a trip to southern Indiana and stopped for a night in French Lick. Saw Larry's boyhood home which has a basketball hoop in the driveway. Sure the kid who lives there now takes all his shots as Larry Bird. Also saw the basketball court where the Larry/Magic commercial was filmed. It was at Larry's larger home that he bought when the paychecks started coming in. It's now a resort. French Lick is a great place. I recommend 33 Brick as the place to eat. The street is "brick", not Larry's shots. Lol.
Benson had another highlight. It was an Atlanta-Detroit game with Dic Rivers driving into the lane and leaving the ball about 6' off the ground as 'Nique grabbed it on his way to the rim and ripped off a two-hand windmill with his signature powerful finish. Kent Benson was in the entire shot, turning his head to avoid watching the finish.
IU also came within a whisker of landing Oscar Robertson, and Wilt Chamberlain in the ‘50s. Kansas, as they typically did with recruits, paid Wilt, which IU would not do. Oscar chose Cincinnati on an essentially a coin flip. Three of the greats of the game barely got away, and IU still has won 5 NCAA titles.
By the time anyone made it to the NBA at that point (very very rare exceptions), they'd SPENT plenty of years in the trenches during college. Not even close to the same thing.
I’m a lifelong Laker fan who grew up hating Larry Bird. I really mean it- I hated him. In my 50’s now, I’m not ashamed to admit that Larry Bird is my all-time favorite player. Can’t get enough of the videos about him. What a competitor. His life story is an inspiration.
Lifelong Sixers fan, and almost your same age, and Im the same as you. I HATED Larry Bird as a kid lol.
I was a Dr. J guy, and Larry and the Celtics ruined so many of our seasons, so I despised the guy. All these decades later, Larry Bird is my all time favorite player, and its not even close.
He could do EVERYTHING on a basketball court, and he prepared and played the game the right way.
I put it this way. MJ is the lead guitar, Bird is the Maestro, he knows how the song will end.
Larry Bird was the BEST PLAYER in the NBA in the mid-80's. Three straight MVP's. He was unbelievable to watch. There will never be another Larry Bird!!!
Damn I'm so grateful I was watching basketball in those days. Larry Legend and the Celtics were a joy to watch.
No matter how clutch you might think Larry Bird was... he was even better than that.
Perfectly said.
Gospel!
Yes arguably the most clutch PLAYER of all time and I highlighted player because it wasn't just his shooting,he has one of the most iconic clutch plays in all of NBA playoffs history when he stole the in bounds from Thomas and then had the vision to hit a cutting DJ for the GW FG and the Celts not only stayed alive,but they won the series!!Birds D is finally gaining a bit of respect as it should cuz he was far better then people remember!?!?He wasn't a very good man defender,but was a great team defender,reaching in passing lanes,poking the ball away,this is why he was a three time all NBA 2nd team,so what he lacked in quickness,especially after maybe his 83 season,as that's when it seemed his speed got even slower,he more then made up for with his vision and ball IQ
Actually, he wasn't.
@@acornsucks2111you’re entitled to be wrong. 😅
IT'S LARRY LEGEND TIME!
Those were the greatest days of the NBA. Listening to stories from players as if they were playing in pickup games brings a different perspective from how I watched the games over 30 years ago.
Larry is HIM☘️🔥🔥
Larry Bird was an assassin. Greatness.
Only weak people become bullies.
Being a bully got Benson into the nba, but he ran across people with skills.
That was awesome. Thanks for rekindling the memory.
Kent Benson was probably a jerk long before he met Larry Bird.
As a young person, Benson sounds like he made some poor life decisions in bowing to peer pressure and bullying. As an adult I believe he changed all this and won recognition for his citizenship. We all have things we would change from our early years.
Good OLE Hartford Civic Center....they played 3 games every season there....miss those days...
You didn't even play the sucker punch by Jabbar. Give an elbow back, but don't punch a man in the face with his hands down. That is what happened a few months later with Kermit, and Kareem was standing right next to the man that got punched. Jabbar also struck Bird with an unprovoked elbow to his face.
Kareem started that fight where Kermit hit Rudy T. It started under the basket with Kareem. I guess the Lakers were trying to "get tough" that year after being handled by Walton and Lucas in the '77 playoffs. Remember, Jabbar was considered lazy and soft at that point in his career. Jerry West was the Lakers coach at the time.
@jdmo? “Soft and Lazy?” Where’d you get that? Joey in Airplane?
I was lucky to be a Celtics fan starting when my family moved to Boston in the 1960s, and even luckier to have moved back to Boston as a young adult during the 80s. I got to watch this wonderful athlete put the Celts on his back time after time. I will never be as amazed by a basketball player as I was by Bird then. I nearly took him for granted then, because he was just kind of an accepted part of Boston life -- but I sure don't take him for granted now!
This reminds me of how CC from the WBNA shuts down her own bullies. Best revenge is more points on the board.
That was a liver shot Benson gave to Jabbar
It was the solar plexus, pain can be worse but no real damage.
I was thinking he knocked the wind out of Kareem. It's pretty easy when the diaphragm gets hit just right. It's like getting hit in the funny bone. It doesn't need to be hard, just in the right spot. And the elbow is just a giant stylus.
I'm certain Benson didn't know the elbow would land exactly there, but I also don't think he cared if he realized it before he got popped. either.
Hearing he wanted to come to UK but they quit recruiting him broke my heart.
I know everyone has their favorite but I think Larry is the best all around player of all time.
I'm not sure it was all Benson, but Bobby Knight was definitely stupid for letting him get away. It probably cost him a couple more championships.
In Knight's defense, 1. it was tough back then to realize how great Bird was going to turn out. 2. things were different back then. College coaches (coaches in general) didnt care about a player's 'situation' (like Bird was in) back then. Coaches back then thought that what Benson was giving Bird was 'tough love'. Still, I'm sure that Bobby Knight would have loved to have been able to go back in time and made sure that he had taken care of Bird. If Bird had went to IU...Knight may have the 2nd most championships of all time (only behind John Wooden)....instead of only having 3.
It wasn't Benson, this is pure BS.
@@acornsucks2111how you know ?
But everyone acts like Knight was some basketball savant for calling Jordan the greatest in 84.
Knight has since stated that he "mishandled" Bird.
To be fair, Bird's potential wasn't fully apparent at that point (and he grew 4" or more between his time at IU and his time at ISU).
On the positive side, Bird DID have Mel Daniels as an assistant coach and mentor at ISU - which may have helped Bird develop even MORE.
In McHale's 56 point game, Bird continually fed McHale the ball to embarrass Benson.
Right, and they say the players back then couldn’t compete with todays players, which might be true, most players today take PEDs of some sort
Cool how Isiah "congratulated" Larry after his game winner!
Cool, how he also said he was over-rated because he was white.
@@acornsucks2111He never said that
@@Gregory-sm9pf Rodman certainly did. Apparently he can't let it go, either.
@@Amick44 Yes Rodman said it after Bird stole that inbound pass during game 5 of the ECF from an inbound pass from Isaiah Thomas, after the Pistons loss, Rodman said if Bird was white, he'd just be another player and when a reporter told Thomas in the locker room what Rodman had said, Thomas said Bird is an exceptional talent but I'd have to agree with what Rodman said and he proceeded to laugh,, Isaiah purposely took the heat because he knew if Rodman had, being a young and not yet really an established player he would not know how to handle it
@@Amick44 and you're right, the worm cannot let it go
Benson was actually a very decent man and ball player. I've met him several times, even when he pkayed, and he has a huge heart. A lot of guys act immature when they get elevated in the pecking order, and I think that that was all that was going on at IU. It goes to show you how the great ones use slights as motivation.
Alcindoor has always been a pos. Loved when Reed used to shut his candy arse down whenever they played.
Especially the same for me. Me and my friends were Knicks fans.
Me ABA nets too. And Willis used to give us instructions on playing at Lost Battalion Hall. He used to practice there. He lived a few blocks away like we did. Wounderfull classy good guy.
Who is Reed? The guy from the Brady Bunch. Didn't see his name in the 10 greatest centers list
@Paul15. kicked ahole Kareems butt every time they played. Only won 2 NBA championships. MVP of one. Played with a broken ankle. Historic. Later becane GM. Guess you don't know much about basketball.
Great memories. And a great video. Nicely done. A well-spent 12 mins and 13 secs.
When you think about it, being on a list with Kareem and Larry is not a bad thing.
I don’t believe anyone that listens to with either of those guys, especially bird who was known for getting his revenge!
Lebron dreams of being clutch
Best clutch flopper ever
Video about bird and somehow LeBron getting hated on. LeBron is great haters.
It so astounding that in a conversation that about Larry bird from out of nowhere his comes a LBJ hater. It just so amazing how LBJ will live forever Rent Free in these people mind 😮😂😂
Lebron isn't all that bad at clutch.
MUCH better than Kobe, that had the rep BUT DID NOT DESERVE IT.
Larry is my number 2 after Jordan, always have been. love your channel.
Bird was better!
Bird was a better player. Jordan could just higher and longer. Bird is the greatest player ever.
Love Bird. Saw him out in Indy just hanging out with friends years ago. Nice to everyone. Plus I went to ISU so i got to see him when we got good in bball around 97'.
Im sure Benson knew Bird had it out for him everytime they played.
What you talking about Willis?😮
And couldn’t do shit about it. LOL
I would say that when the Celtics played a team with Kent Benson on it, Bird probably averaged around 40 points per game. And Boston probably won 80-90% of those games !
Kent Benson today is actually a pretty nice guy. He used to come to the place i worked for a celebrity golf tournament every year. I had a chance to meet him for that once around 2015 and he handed me his NCAA Championship ring to check out. Very awesome experience!
Isiah was also an asshole when he was a player, but has mellowed out a LOT since then.
But it wasn't MJ ONLY that denied Isiah from the Dream Team - it was more like HALF OF THE OTHER PLAYERS PICKED that refused to play with him.
I remember finishing work in San Francisco and rushing to the bar to watch the Lakers and Celtics. I didn’t want to miss a minute
Glad Kareem and Larry put that bully in his place.
LARRY BIRD MAKES THE ALL TIME STARTING FIVE ...
Isaiah Thomas was unreal.... along with Kevin Johnson were the best two under 6' players of their era
Issia, 6'1-1/2.
Kevin Johnson was also 6'1".
Larry with those fakes on Benson at the 2:40 mark of the video are so awesome I had to watch it a couple of times, Larry absolutely tortured him!...😂
Bird’s basketball IQ was off the charts. Guys that were average players became better just by playing with him and guys that were good players became HOFers.
I think leaving Indiana, especially Coach Knight was the right move.
NBA was so good then.
Never liked Bobby Knight. His ego was to big for his head.
Knights ego was driven by being one of the all-time greatest coaches. Though no higher than #2 with a strong Hoosier association, since Wooten was a NATIVE Hoosier.
Isaiah's mother was a teacher at my school in the 90s and early 90s. That was awesome cause we got to watch so many games and highlights in spare time.
Well done presentation!
LarryBird4Life
Gotta be a trip knowing that you may well have been the heavyweight champ of basketball for anyone.
I was an IU fan and a huge fan of those ‘75 & ‘76 IU teams, and I can say unequivocally that Benson definitely got what he deserved from Kareem and from Larry.
Thumbs down for a stupid comment, as no player deserves to be sucker punched in a basketball game. Jabbar was giving as good as he was getting with elbows of big men in the paint. That doesn't give him the right to throw a sucker punch to the face.
@@MultiEviscerator It wasn’t a sucker punch. If you watch the video, Kareem comes around to at least the front side before hitting Benson. He didn’t hit him from behind. That’s the best video of the shot that I’ve ever seen.
@@projoebiochem This coming from a guy who said "Benson definitely got what he deserved from Kareem".
A sucker punch does not have to totally come from behind, rather it means a punch delivered that is unexpected. Many a sucker punch can come from the side or even in the front if the person on the receiving end, who is not expecting it.
There is no way any NBA player would expect another player to hall off and hit them in the face in the middle of the game. Heck Benson claimed he had received an elbow from Jabbar earlier, and presumably he was returning the favor with the elbow he gave. That said, and even if Benson was a jerk (which it sounded like he might be via the Bird issue at IU), what Jabbar did was cowardly and unacceptable during a game. If he wanted a piece of Benson, it should be done after the game, with both of them going at it man to man.
@@MultiEviscerator This was before the Kermit Washington/Rudy Tomjanovich incident which occurred later that same season. It was common for players to take care of disputes on the spot, so Benson should have been ready. When I was a kid going to ABA Pacers games, there was a fight about half the time. I had a coach that told us, “If a fight starts, go ahead and get your punches in. Someone will break it up before anyone can get hurt.” It wasn’t uncommon for a fight to result in no fouls and no technicals. The attitude was very much - let the boys handle it.
@@projoebiochem For starters, I am 6'7" 240 and played basketball in HS & a short time in college, so I know the sport from the inside, as well as a fan. I also pitched baseball in HS and only mention that because I also fully understand the concept of "getting your punches in", and/or expecting retaliation.
To cover baseball first, if a hitter shows up the defense, or they are stealing signs, or some other violation of the rules, many a pitcher such as myself was sent out under orders the next inning to plunk the first batter (or sometimes wait for the individual offender). However, just as I was taught as a kid (and how I taught my kids), you can go for the legs, waist or maybe even the ribs, but you do not headhunt. The reason is simple, you could paralyze or kill the hitter if you strike him in the face/head.
The same is true of a batter who decides to charge the mound after getting hit, you drop the bat before you head toward the pitcher.
In basketball, you get in your forearms to the back, elbows to the gut/ribs, etc., but you do not haul off and punch a player in the face, especially blindsided. Benson got in his retaliatory elbow, then continued to play defense, but he didn't coldcock Jabbar for having elbowed him earlier. Sometimes a punch to the head can kill another person, even if it is because the unconscious persons head hits the ground.
So if guys want to square up and fight, as Thin Lizzy says in their biggest hit "if the boys want to fight, you better let them. But that is much different being a coward and throwing a sucker punch when the other guy isn't looking!
Down here in Connecticut we saw lots of hoop at the HCC, including Larry Bird and the Celtics. It was GREAT!!
Great video. I had no idea that it was Kent Benson who made Bird leave IU. I always heard that he was home sick and that the campus was too big. I also heard that Knight walked right by him without acknowledging he was there. Why the hell didn't Knight control Benson? He turned a blind eye on his bullying. I think maybe Knight condoned his bullying. Good for Bird he didn't gave Knight four more rings to this A-hole.
It Wasn't Because Of Benson, Bird Has Said Over & Over It Was Mainly Because He Didn't Have The Funds/Money To Stay There. Bird Doesn't Lie About His Life If It Were REALLY All Benson He Would Have Said So In All Those Interviews. Now I Believe Bird Probably Thought Benson Was Just A Plus With His Reason To Leave. Remember College Players Weren't Getting Helping Out Funds Back Then & Especially Freshmen.
I have read all of that too. I don't think it was any single thing, but I believe they all added up.
@@Amick44 Like I Said Benson Wasn’t Close To The Main Reason. There’s an interview out here on YT somewhere. Where the main College He ended up going to; That Those Players Weren’t All Nice To Him Either. He Couldn’t Play His First Year There Either. But He Would Still Get To Practice With Them. Well The Starters Were Complaining To The Coach About Him. The Coach Said To Larry; Larry I Need To Take It A Little Easy On Them Because I Need Them To Believe That They Can Win. And When You Come Out Here in Practice Your Making Them Look Bad. Larry Said To His Coach, Why Can’t They Take their Butt Wooping Like A Man. You Would Think That Would Want Themselves To Work Harder Then To Get Better. The Coach Thought, Well Your Right About That. And Larry Said It Was Hard There The First Few Years Because The Were Kinda Jealous Of Him. And Then When The Sports Media Stated Wanting Interviews With Him That Even Made It Worse At Times. He didn’t like doing interviews in the first place. So He would dodge them and get other players to take the interview’s. But then the Media Ass’s would turn it into Asking Them about Larry. So That Made His Teammates Recent Him Again. Just Saying Larry Is Not The Type To Let Someone Like Benson Be The Main Reason To Leave A School.
@@gailshepard-cook3257haters gonna hate
Benson was *A* factor, there were others Bird mentioned in "Drive".
Every single pro has said Larry was the best player ever..Larry Legend
Stop the 🧢
Not true - but it's ALMOST true for all of those that played against him that they called him the best at at least PART of the game of all their opponents - usually pointing to his court smarts.
Facts
there is a video of YT of many players saying who they think is the GOAT, it was like 75% MJ
@@iec7587 There are MANY videos of many players talking about the GOAT - I grant that a majority seem to put MJ there, but there are quite a few that don't.
Kareem has been evasive every time that I've seen, usually listing players that were the best at one or two specific aspects but NOT an actual GOAT choice, for example - and regularly citing Bird for his "muscle up here" while pointing to his head.
MJ himself (and Kareem has said similar as well) never claims anyone as GOAT, usually because "I never played against many of the greatest".
There are at least 2 series of videos, one per player in each series, one named "making the case" and I forget the name of the other series, for something like 9 or 10 players to be the GOAT as well.
The only sad thing about these clips is that they didn't have HD then.
I hated Larry Legend because he was so damn good, but never the man. He'd beat your team and stick a dagger in the heart with smoothness and skill like no other.
I'd call him the greatest at what he does and definitely in the top 5 greatest ever.
The way you say Larry Bird is legendary in itself lol.
Larry Bird is the BEST ALL-AROUND PLAYER EVER!!! TOP FIVE PLAYER OF ALL-TIME. Magic, MJ, Bird, Russell, Wilt. Nobody's beating that team!!!
I saw Benson punch a wall and break his hand at his car dealership in 1991. His partner at the Chevy dealership in New Castle made him mad, can't remember what upset him though. My step-dad was the GM, and Benson's partner was his mentor. Benson was definitely full of himself!
Larry was so good in a game back in 1985, the Atlanta Hawks gave each other high- fives!
Even the ball generated excitement with that double roll into the rim!! Best years for basketball!
Larry Legend did that to everybody including Jordan, Dominique, dr j.
Jordan did Bird worse. Scored 60+ on Bird. Did Bird so bad , Bird called him “Black Jesus”
@@tarrellsmith3260 Bird won that game and swept the bulls out that series. Jordan did not win in the 80's because Larry Legend was kicking his🐎. Jordan did not start winning until all the 80's dynasties were gone. Most overrated human that ever lived.
@@debbiehenson1096 Bird or the 5 HOFers on Boston? Idk why y’all say “Bird swept Jordan” as if those other 4 HOFers don’t have the same record vs Jordan😂 You so know Bird never won anything without McHale? Pretty sure it was Bird, McHale, Dennis Johnson, Parish and Walton not “bIrD”
@@tarrellsmith3260 Jordan had 63 points in a playoff game - AND HIS BULLS LOST THE GAME.
Who had the last laugh?
@@bricefleckenstein9666 Tf that gotta do with Bird calling him “Black Jesus” after that game?😂
😄 Good ending.
I think..... Bird going to ISU, just as it happened, was what was meant to be.
All part of ☘️ Larry Legend.
I wonder if Benson remembered Bird from IU?
What a satisfying story, well told.
Quite possibly the greatest player of his generation.... unfortunate his injury
Which he played with from 1986-1992
@@criticalinfrastructurepart1959 but was never the same.....I believe he woulda been undoubtedly the goat
@@brianoneal2547 exactly my point, hands down the greatest player ever (imagine if he hadn't hurt his back putting in that driveway for his mom)
Definitely a sucker punch
This is perhaps the greatest mistake Knight ever made. Dumb.
He had a temper and didn't do too well. Remember when he threw a chair across the court and got ejected from the game with Purdue.
First clip of Knight I've seen where he seems human and humble.
In the 80’s there was so many great players in the NBA.
This is top-quality sports journalism. Very well put together.
Amazing video and story! Nice work
You see Larry & you click. #2 all time
Yes😂
Ehh. Top 10 tho fasho
Definitely a cowardly sneak attack.
I always Respected Jabbar but that was a Low Class Sucker Punch.
And an elbow to the center of the sternum isn’t a cheap shot?
What comes around, goes around.
JimsEquipmentShed, You got the proverb backwards, genius. FFS
So glad the Kareem showed Benson what the NBA was about.
I’m all for Kent Benson being in the face by Kareem lol same with Bill Laimbeer being punched in the face by Robert Parish.
Na. That elbow was week. Sucker punch was not warranted unless you're chicken sht. I agree with Bill Lambeer getting clocked he was a dirty fkr
Nice video, man. You really know what you're doing.
Jabbar broke his hand because he doesn't know how to throw a punch.
He studied Jeet Kun Do under Bruce Lee. He should have known better. I also studied Jeet Kun Do. That wasn't a Jeet Kun Do punch. If he threw a Jeet Kun Do punch, he wouldn't have broken his hand.
@Davivd2 he would have also gotten more then a fine and a suspension. Kareem knew he had to let up on the strike
@@Davivd2 Bruce Lee never fought in his life, he was just a movie actor. Saying you learned Bullshido from Bruce Lee is the same as saying you learned boxing from Silvester Stallone.
He's a Black Belt so......
@@Autonomia_para_Puerto_Rico. Did you do Your Research at Trump University?
WOW.... UNBELIEVABLE
Good times, LA and Boston was dominating and the Pistons were on the rise to become the Bad Boys. Best time in basketball 🏀🏀🏀
Benson was an overrated lug. Kareem smartened him up quick.
Bird was LEGENDARY
The sweetest revenge is success.
Karma and payback is a motha, little did Benson know that this guy would go on and become one of the greatest players to ever step foot on an NBA court and I love how every time Bird played Benson he would abuse the hell out of him and there wasn't a damn thing Benson could do about except take it.
As a Hoosier I love seeing Zeke and Bird chopping it up!!!
Why does Benson look like he’s in slow motion compared to today’s game? Benson would’t be quick enough to mop the sweat off the court at halftime. 😂😂😂
Best channel on UA-cam
Kent Benson literally changed basketball history...on so many levels. IU would have had a dynasty from 1975 through at least Isiah Thomas' last year in 1981...IF Benson wasnt such a douchebag. Larry Bird on those late 70's IU teams....imagine. If Bird had played all 4 years at IU...no way does he last to the 6th pick in the 1978 Draft...where Boston drafted him. Bird would have no doubt went #1....changing the history of The NBA when it came to The Celtics-Lakers rivalry. Also, Michigan State-Indiana St 1979 Championship game doesnt happen (Bird would have been a senior in 1978 IF he had stayed at IU.....but because he sat out a year after dropping out of IU...his 4 year college career was delayed by 1 year before he enrolled at Indiana State). Bird was drafted in 1978 (even though he ended up coming back to ISU for his senior year, Bird was draft eligible because it had been 4 years since he graduated high school....allowing Boston to draft Bird as a junior. The rule back then allowed a team to keep the rights to a player in college right up to the following year's draft. The NBA changed that rule the following season)....he'd have been a senior at IU....meaning that his showdown with Magic in 1979 never happens.
While things ended up happening magically historically when it came to Bird-Magic....it still doesnt alleviate Benson from being a total DOUCHE.
My dad loved basketball and more importantly the Celtics. Larry Bird was his favorite!
I live in Bloomington Indiana home of IU and not far from french lick where bird is from. he did not leave IU for ISU because of being bullied by kent benson. that is outright not true.
Being from Milwaukee, this was a huge deal. Gotta remember Lew Alcindor was drafted by the Bucks. One of the worst teams in the NBA at the time.
Kareem, as he was then known. Was a big Hollywood actor that had recently starred in Bruce Lee's now classic movie "Enter The Dragon". I think it was an ego thing, that Kareem let get to him, who was normally a very humble guy. Maybe some racist overtones creeping into people minds. Added fuel to the fire.
When your from the streets of the Midwest like I'm from. You don't liver elbow someone, especially Kareem. And then stand there looking the other way with your hands on your hips. The punch didn't look that vicious. Until you saw the result. Dropped him. I actually felt bad for Kareem in a way. Cause I know I'd have jacked his jaw way harder. Dude was a creep. His career went absolutely nowhere. Starting that day.
i didn't get to see the end of that punch but all the Doritos just crumble in my bag
Bird is the Word!!!!
Just got back from a trip to southern Indiana and stopped for a night in French Lick. Saw Larry's boyhood home which
has a basketball hoop in the driveway. Sure the kid who lives there now takes all his shots as Larry Bird. Also saw the
basketball court where the Larry/Magic commercial was filmed. It was at Larry's larger home that he bought when the
paychecks started coming in. It's now a resort. French Lick is a great place. I recommend 33 Brick as the place to eat.
The street is "brick", not Larry's shots. Lol.
The Fucking Legend
No, that's Wilt Chamberlain. Larry is the GOAT. Lmao!!!!
Benson had another highlight. It was an Atlanta-Detroit game with Dic Rivers driving into the lane and leaving the ball about 6' off the ground as 'Nique grabbed it on his way to the rim and ripped off a two-hand windmill with his signature powerful finish. Kent Benson was in the entire shot, turning his head to avoid watching the finish.
A Bird Knight team might haven beaten Magic which would have changed the whole dynamic
It really is unbelievable that the Pistons had Benson guarding Bird.
Larry Bird was the real Great White Hope in any sport.
Great video. I actually went to that game. Was rooting for Detroit and I didn’t fully appreciate Bird’s greatness.
IU also came within a whisker of landing Oscar Robertson, and Wilt Chamberlain in the ‘50s. Kansas, as they typically did with recruits, paid Wilt, which IU would not do. Oscar chose Cincinnati on an essentially a coin flip. Three of the greats of the game barely got away, and IU still has won 5 NCAA titles.
I love these videos 😁
Benson was a decent defender
It didn't matter who guarder Byrd , he was gonna get his 30 points
LOL, excellent, thanks Man.
When basketball was basketball and not dunkdaball!
Of course Bird treated rookies the same way he was treated as a freshman.
By the time anyone made it to the NBA at that point (very very rare exceptions), they'd SPENT plenty of years in the trenches during college.
Not even close to the same thing.
Those 80s teams were so great. It’s why Jordan wasn’t good enough to win for 5 years until the 90s.
The elbow hit KAREEM IN THE SOLOR PLEX which shows how much the way certain BODY SPOTS CAN MESS UP ANYBODY 🤨