Larry Bird

Collegiate career

Bird received a basketball scholarship with Indiana University in 1975. At the time, Indiana was one of the premier college basketball programs in the country, coached by esteemed head coach Bobby Knight. However, Bird--homesick, short on money and overwhelmed by the size and population of the university--left the school after one month and returned to French Lick. After briefly attending a local community college and working numerous odd jobs around the town (including a stint as a garbage man), Bird enrolled at Indiana State University, where he was coached by Bob King. He carried the ISU Sycamores to the NCAA championship game in 1979, his senior season, only to lose to the Michigan State University Spartans, who were led by his future NBA rival, Magic Johnson. That year, Bird won the Naismith and Wooden Awards, given to the year's top male college basketball player. After playing only three years at Indiana State, he left as the fifth-highest scorer in NCAA history.

Related Topics:
Indiana University - 1975 - Bobby Knight - French Lick - Indiana State University - Bob King - 1979 - Michigan State University - NBA - Magic Johnson - Naismith - Wooden Award - NCAA

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