Larry Bird knew he still had it after hitting 20 shots in a row in his 60s: "I can still play a little"

Larry Bird knew he still had it after hitting 20 shots in a row in his 60s: “I can still play a little” originally appeared on Basketball Network.

Nothing ever stopped Larry Bird from retiring when he decided that he was done with basketball in 1992. Though he remained in the NBA as a coach and later as a team executive, Bird never felt the itch to suit up and play again.

Unlike other retired former NBA stars, Bird was very much at peace with his departure from the game. He had no hang-ups, even though he was prompted to call it quits because of chronic back pain.

However, Bird realized that his hot hand hasn’t diminished one bit. It’s worth mentioning that he was already in his 60s when he randomly decided to pick the ball up after an Indiana Pacers practice and discovered that he still had it.

“I’m having a good time, I have the time to enjoy working outside, golfing, fishing, staying busy with various business and personal projects,” the Boston Celtics legend told The Boston Herald in 2021.

“I pretty much put the basketball down when I retired, but I did hit 20 shots in a row after a game practice a couple of years ago in my street clothes, so I am thinking I can still play a little,” the Hall of Famer fondly revealed.

Bird has a witness

As it turns out, no lies were detected in Bird’s story. Former Pacers star shooting guard Paul George once confirmed it. In fact, it was one of George’s favorite Larry Legend moments during his time with the Pacers.

Just like how Bird described it, George said the NBA icon was in street clothes that day. To this day, PG13 is still in disbelief at how a 60-something Bird could sink long-range shot after long-range shot. What’s even more epic is that Bird just walked out like nothing happened after making those shots in front of the team.

“One of my all-time favorite stories of Larry; it was after practice, right?” PG once recounted. “We’re shooting, and he’s like walking out of the gym, about to leave. I’ve never seen him play. I’ve never seen him shoot. I always had this vision of him from YouTube videos and old clips like that. But the ball rolls over to him. He’s in slacks. He’s in a button-down. He got his loafers on.”

“So, he picks the ball up, and I’m sure he probably hasn’t shot the ball in like, I don’t know, years at this point. Shoots that motherfu*ker, cash, and then just smooth walked out, bro,” then Pacers star added.

Bird’s greatness is timeless

What Bird did inside the Pacers’ practice facility that day only goes to show that his greatness is timeless. While some of his contemporaries were already out of shape, Larry Legend could still casually drain jump shots without any practice or warm-up.

At present, Bird was welcomed back by the Pacers and is working with the team as a consultant. He is already 68 years old, but it wouldn’t be a shock to hear another story about him showing up in the gym, picking up a basketball and hitting long-range like it is the middle of the 1980s.

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 17, 2025, where it first appeared.

Larry Bird knew he still had it after hitting 20 shots in a row in his 60s: “I can still play a little”

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