“Imma start knocking him around a little bit” – Larry Bird was confident in taking on legendary Boston Celtics center after his first NBA practice

One of the NBA’s all-time greats, Larry Bird, was already a known name before the Boston Celtics selected him with the 6th overall pick in the 1978 draft. Taking college basketball by storm, the Indiana State sensation not only led the Sycamores to their first NCAA tournament, but also to the 1979 championship game against Magic Johnson’s Michigan State.

Read more Trump eyes busy week of meetings as UN General Assembly gathers

Conversely, Bird didn’t want anything to do with the fame and attention, preferring to stay out of the spotlight. Much of it stemmed from his humble beginnings and reserved nature. But his exceptional talent and skill set couldn’t be hidden for long, with the world getting a glimpse of “College Basketball’s Secret Weapon” thanks to the 1977 Sports Illustrated cover.

Naturally, coming into the NBA, there was a lot of anticipation around Bird, who felt it was unfair to compare him to some of the all-time greats even before he made his debut.

“I play a whole different game. I try to just do the things that I have to do to win. And I know it takes just more in scoring. So, I don’t care who they compare with, I’m still Larry Bird,”

Dave Cowens

“Well, I’m really getting ready for Dave Cowens because I’m going to start knocking him around a little bit. He knows that,” added Bird, who also had a lot to learn from Cowens.

Dave had not heard about the Indiana showstopper

Standing at 6’9″, Cowens was undersized for the center position, playing against legends like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Julius Erving. Nonetheless, the Hall of Famer carved out a niche for himself, displaying his versatile skill set at both ends of the floor.

Cowens made his debut almost immediately after franchise icon Bill Russell had retired from the hardwood. No doubt, those were some impossible shoes to fill. Nonetheless, Dave helped deliver two championships to the Celtics in 1974 and 1976.

Almost a decade into his stint with the Celtics, Dave had the generational talent Larry Legend join him on the team. Amid the excitement and noise ahead of Bird’s NBA debut, Cowens revealed in a 1979 press interaction that he didn’t know about the Indiana State sensation until he got drafted.

Read more Far-left party wins Berlin election, pledging to nationalise housing

“I wish I could answer the question. I don’t know anything about him. I was going to try to go see him when he was playing in Indiana and Terre Haute, when we were in, I think it was Detroit, but I couldn’t get down there. So I haven’t ever met him. I’ve never seen him play,”

Eventually, Cowens did take notice of Bird and his talent, and in no time, the two seemed to be on the same page. As a result, the Celtics were back in contention after missing the playoffs for two consecutive seasons. Simultaneously, it also served as a passing-of-the-torch moment from Dave to Larry in his rookie season.

Related: “One of us forgot our t-ts at home” – Sophie Cunningham’s reaction after posing for a photo with Sydney Sweeney

Sudden retirement

Heading into the 1980-81 season, the Celtics made significant moves, including drafting Kevin McHale and trading for Robert Parish. The C’s hadn’t looked this good in a while before Cowens dropped the retirement bomb before a preseason game against the Chicago Bulls, as the team waited on the bus. No doubt, the announcement came as a shock.

Dave cited physical and mental burnout as his reasons for retiring. Finding themselves in a lurch, the C’s didn’t back down, with the “Big 3” of Bird, Parish, and McHale leading them to a championship in 1981.

A year later, Cowens felt the itch to get back on the court but wanted Boston to trade him. In the end, he was shipped to the Milwaukee Bucks, where he played one season before retiring for good. Meanwhile, Bird cemented his legacy as one of the greatest Celtic and NBA forwards of all time.

Related: “I bet he’s a little bit more fun off the court” – Sophie Cunningham compares Caitlin Clark’s personality to Larry Bird’s

Read more Florida voters won’t see a debate between Jolly and Donalds — or other top races

Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved

This story was originally published September 20, 2026 at 5:49 PM.