Domantas Sabonis joined the Indiana Pacers as part of the trade that sent Paul George to the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2017. At the time, Sabonis was already a second-year player who had shown some real potential to be a star. However, to Larry Bird, he was still a nobody but Arvydas Sabonis’ son.
Larry was still the Pacers executive, and he really let Domantas know what he thought of him. Admittedly, Domas was a little insulted as Larry Legend compared him to his legendary father, but not in a flattering way.
“He’s always getting on people about how tall they are,” Domantas once said of Bird. “He tells me all the time, ‘You may be almost 7-feet, but compared to your dad, you’re below average.'”
“Larry can be harsh,” former Pacers point guard Darren Collison also shared. “I’m the shortest guy on the team, so guess what Larry says to me — he says I’m too short to guard anyone. Can you believe that? That’s a guy from the front office molding a team in his image.”
Sabonis couldn’t blame Bird
Domantas’ early interaction with Larry may have been unpleasant, but he also understood where the Hall of Famer was coming from. Taking a quick trip down memory lane, Domas’ dad, Arvydas, was indeed a remarkable player.
Even before Sabas joined the NBA, he was already a living legend back in his home country Lithuania and Spain. He became famous for his versatility as a big man, having showcased his outside shooting, post moves and playmaking skills.
On the other hand, the younger Sabonis was still making bones when he crossed paths with Bird in Indy. He was coming off an underwhelming rookie season, averaging 5.9 points and 3.6 rebounds in 81 games.
Needless to say, it wasn’t a surprise that those who witnessed Domantas’ dad play would be quick to compare and criticize. That’s precisely what Larry Legend did, which Domas understood.
Bird had always been brutally honest
Almost everybody in the league is aware of how brutally honest and raw Bird was. He never changed one bit, even during his tenure as a team executive.
According to Larry Legend, he often let the players, especially the rookies, know what he felt about them, but not to offend them or anything. Instead, Bird just wanted them to realize how fortunate they were and that they should make the best out of the opportunity given to them.
“The players today, when I talk to them, especially when I sign them, I tell them what we expect of them, and, you know, hard work, show up on time, work on your game in practice, try to improve each year. And some of them take it and some of them don’t. After I sign them, I say, ‘I hope I sign you again to a lot bigger contract,'” Bird once said.
“When it comes down to it, it’s not only about displaying your talents on the court, but you have a short time period here to make a living and to make the best of it,” he stressed.
Instead of being hurt by Bird’s comment, the younger Sabonis proved that he wasn’t thin-skinned. He became one of the Pacers’ most reliable role players, and in his third year with the team, Domantas was promoted to the starting lineup and became an All-Star player.