Dennis Rodman Forgets What Larry Bird Is to Basketball

DENNIS RODMAN OPENS UP OLD, STUPID WOUNDS WITH COMMENTS ABOUT LARRY BIRD TODAY

So I have to issue an editor’s note: I am, and have been since at least the mid-1980’s a major Larry Bird fan. But that also means that I have some dated biases against other players and teams from that era. Most of those I’ve grown out of. But the Bad Boys Pistons still require a large amount of effort on my part to appreciate. And some of their old comments about Larry Bird only being called a great player because he’s white still brings about some amount of vexation. Normally, I don’t think about these things all that much unless I’m watching old basketball coverage. But this is now alive and not well again in my brain because Dennis Rodman has opened it all up again.

DENNIS RODMAN SAYS LARRY BIRD COULDN’T EVEN PLAY IN TODAY’S NBA, WASN’T GOOD ENOUGH

So what happened? Dennis Rodman, one of the best NBA role players of all time, suddenly decided to make some comments about Larry Bird’s historic status as a player himself. To be precise, Dennis seems to have forgotten a host of things about today’s NBA compared to his own, which he largely shares with Larry as well. Dennis Rodman appeared on VladTV recently, and offered his take that Larry Legend wouldn’t (or couldn’t) make it in today’s NBA. No, really. He said that. Even more, he said that if Larry was in his prime today, if he wanted to play pro he’d have to play overseas.

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DENNIS HAS MANAGED TO FORGET THE TERROR HE AND EVERYONE FELT GUARDING LARRY LEGEND

He said about Larry Bird, “Today’s world? Oh, hell no. There’s no way. I’m not downplaying him, because he’s a great player at that time, just like I was, but no. There’s no way. I think the kid from Denver is way better than him.” I’ll unpack just a little of this but not all of it. For one, Dennis is making a white on white player comparison which is where he got lost down the rabbit hole. Yes, that “kid” from Denver is hella good, and now a champion. But you can’t touch anyone in today’s NBA like you could when Larry intimidated whole teams, and gave them nightmares afterwards.

DENNIS, IT’S TOO LATE TO TRY TO USE LARRY BIRD TO DISTRACT FROM ISAIAH THOMAS AND HISTORY

Does Larry Bird need to be athletic to play today? No more than Luka Doncic. Does Larry need to have a better jumper? Well, Larry would have actually practiced 3-point shots if he were to play today (he never did before, even as shooting champion). In other words, Larry had all tools he would need today, and would have a much easier time scoring the ball, and so a much easier time passing out of the double teams he would set up. I could go on, literally for hours, as to little breakdowns making it obvious Larry Bird could dominate today’s league. Dennis should know better. I’m guessing he’s been talking to Isaiah Thomas too much. Again.