“He tells me, ‘Fly, bird'” – Larry Bird once humiliated Brad Daugherty with two savage words and a cold-blooded jumper originally appeared on Basketball Network.
The great Larry Bird has immortalized a wide array of historic plays throughout his illustrious NBA career. However, for some of his past rivals, his little trash talk made him unforgettable.
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According to former Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star big man Brad Daugherty, Bird once humiliated him with just two simple words before capping off the play with a sensational shot. To this day, that moment is still stored in Daugherty’s memory.
“Larry Bird catches the ball in the corner and I take off running at Larry Bird, and right when he’s getting ready to shoot, I jump and as I go by him, he tells me, ‘Fly, bird,'” Daugherty recalled in a vintage ESPN Classic documentary about Bird. “And I go right by him, he shoots the ball and it’s nothing but nylon.”
Kenny Smith’s version of Daugherty’s Bird story
As it turns out, it wasn’t the first time Daugherty shared his in-game story about Bird. He also once told Kenny Smith about it but in full detail.
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According to Smith, the Boston Celtics icon did not only talk trash to Daugherty but also had the audacity to hit the 7’0″ center’s butt with the basketball before knocking down a game-winning 3-point shot.
“Brad Daugherty told me this story,” Smith said during a discussion on Inside the NBA on TNT on Bird’s 61st birthday. “When he was like [in his] second year in the league, they went at playoffs against the Celtics. Larry Bird catches the ball in a deep corner, and he steps back for a three, and before he takes it, [Daugherty was] like, ‘Oh, wow! He’s going for the win, he’s not going for the tie.'”
“And so, Brad Daugherty runs out, and he head fakes him, and as he head fakes him, now it’s ‘3, 2…’ He hits him on the butt with the ball, and then he shoots it at the buzzer,” he continued. “And the confidence to hit him on the butt as he flew by him trying to block his shot. I’m like, there’s no more confidence than that.”
Different stories, same Bird experience
Nearly every NBA player who has had the opportunity to compete against Bird at least once in their career has a unique story to share. Each of these experiences comes with its own distinct circumstances and settings.
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Yet, they all share a common topic: Bird’s relentless and sharp-tongued trash-talking.
While Bird was known for his ability to talk a big game during on-court encounters, he could also consistently back up his words with outstanding performances. His exceptional skills and numerous championship victories were complemented by his wit and savage trash-talking. This unique blend made him an even more formidable presence not just in skill but also in psychological warfare.
Bird’s knack for trash-talking has woven itself into the very fabric of his legacy as a player. Many consider it not just a sideline in his legendary career. Instead, it has become an integral part of what made him one of the greatest and most captivating figures in the sport’s history.
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Bird’s words were as impactful as his play, whether it was a friendly jab or a fierce challenge. Based on the stories told about him, the Celtics legend left an indelible mark on the game and those who had the privilege to face him.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 5, 2025, where it first appeared.