“Looking back, it was a ridiculous way to finish my career” – Larry Bird regrets the way his NBA career ended originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Larry Bird didn’t get the ending he or anyone else expected for his NBA career.
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After years of carrying the Boston Celtics on his back, his final season became a painful struggle. The player who once treated every game like it was his last missed more than half the season. His back problems had worsened to the point where he had to wear a brace nearly every day to manage the pain.
It’s hard to reconcile the Bird who dominated the 1980s with the one who struggled to finish games in his last year.
“Looking back, it was a ridiculous way to end my career,” Bird wrote in his 1999 book “Bird Watching.” “But at the time, I just put my head down and tried to get through it. I missed 37 games in my final season. People knew I was hurting, but very few had any idea how bad it really was. It got to a point where I was wearing a brace almost all the time except for when I was practicing or playing.”
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Gone over the hill
Bird’s back problems didn’t appear suddenly. They had been getting worse for years as he pushed through the pain.
By the 1991-92 season, the injury had reached a point where playing at the level Bird expected from himself was nearly impossible. The brace became necessary. Without it, even stepping on the court was difficult. The pain never fully went away, but the brace allowed him to try to keep up.
That season, the Celtics finished 51-31. It was a solid record and enough to secure a playoff spot, but it was not the dominant team Bird led through the ’80s. They were good but no longer a powerhouse, and Bird’s limited playing time was a major reason.
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Bird played just 45 games, missing over half the season. His absence left a gap beyond what stats can show. His leadership and presence were as important as his scoring and passing. Bird knew it was his last season but kept it quiet.
He didn’t want any fuss or farewell tour.
“Even though I knew I was playing my last season, I kept it to myself,” he wrote. “The last thing I wanted or needed was a big commotion at every city we went to. I had no interest in a retirement tour.”
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Still Larry Joe Bird
Bird’s career began in 1979 and became one of the NBA’s great stories.
He won three MVP awards and three championships with the Celtics. His savage toughness earned him respect and fear around the league.
With his heart and soul, Bird believed he was the best in the world before his first NBA dribble.
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However, the way his career ended was not the kind of storybook finish it deserved. In August 1992, Bird announced his retirement with a straightforward statement. No big farewell, just a simple goodbye.
He wanted people to remember what he did on the court, not how he left the game.
It’s too bad Bird’s career ended that way, but his honesty shows the harsh reality many athletes face. Bodies break down, and great careers come to difficult, sometimes ugly, ends.
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He even admitted early on that his rough playing style wouldn’t let him last as long as he wanted. Put anyone else in his shoes, and they probably wouldn’t last more than five seasons.
There was a real physical price behind the highlight reels and championship banners. Bird will always be remembered for those moments — the battles, the warm-up jacket in the 3-point contest, the mind games — and how his career ended does not change that.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 30, 2025, where it first appeared.