Few players in basketball history had the kind of impact Larry Bird made during the 1980s in the NBA. Analysts often remember the Boston Celtics legend as one of the driving forces behind the league’s evolution during that era, especially because of his rivalry with Los Angeles Lakers star Magic Johnson. However, Gary Payton and Byron Scott pointed out a different trait of the former forward.

“He was just the biggest trash talker that I’ve ever seen,” said Scott in a January 2025 interview on All The Smoke. “Larry would talk (expletive) during the game. He tell you where he’s going, catch it, shot it. Jump, he tell you, ‘Man, your jump high, but you don’t jump that high.’”

But Scott emphasized that Bird didn’t just talk—he backed it up. “I guess it ain’t trash talking if you ain’t backin

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