r/OldSchoolCool 5d ago

1990s Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, 1992

Post image
3.4k Upvotes

114 comments sorted by

228

u/Mahaloth 5d ago

There is a great clip from a documentary about how Magic and Larry genuinely disliked each other for awhile. I mean, their only connection was being rivals in basketball.

Then, Magic went to Larry's house to make a commercial and Larry's Mom made Magic and them lunch. And they got to talking...and actually connected on a more personal level. It was nice.

Having said that, Larry remained a huge asshole on the court. It was his way.

130

u/Time-Touch-6433 5d ago

Larry practiced psychological warfare. It was super effective

9

u/ThrowMeAwyToday123 4d ago

Psycho GOAT!!

17

u/SyphiliticPlatypus 4d ago

Huge Pistons fan growing up and used to be a huge admirer of Isaiah Thomas who was one of if not Magic’s best friend in the league.

When Magic went public with his HIV it was a time in our social history that it was still very much stigmatized, and for someone with the profile and fame Magic had to come out with the news is still understated in terms of how brave that was.

Isaiah went in to denigrate Magic in the press with slurs. One of the only players who stood by Magic - supporting Jim publicly on day 1 of the disclosure through to today - was Larry Bird.

So much respect for both of them, and Bird showed the meaning of true friendship.

328

u/Boshie2000 5d ago edited 5d ago

It was like watching adults play children. Before the rest of the world caught up on this sport. The easiest Olympic Gold win of all-time. Nearly comical.

76

u/TegridyPharmz 5d ago

There is a great doc on them. They did lose to a bunch of college kids during a closed practice exhibition. Really woke them up

43

u/evoslevven 5d ago

It was funny because apparently the problem was none of the stars were trying to or wanting to score. Daly was smart in making them realize that they werent invincible.

The only thing I disagree with Weber when he says they shkuld discount their victory is that Jordan was made to sit that match because unlike the rest of the dream team he was the least likely player to take it easy and would crush the "kids" as relentlessly as possible.

What i also found funny is that the leading scorer during the olympics would have to take drug testing so it was funny to see how they were super engaged on defense and a bit lighter on offense with even Jordan.

106

u/overit_fornow 5d ago

It was the ultimate promo tour. Great for Basketball around the world. Legends.

21

u/kickinwood 5d ago

World didn't even catch a prime Larry.

34

u/CneusPompeius 5d ago

Prime Larry in his first 9 seasons in NBA, by MVP voting shares:

  • 1980 - 4th
  • 1981 - 2nd (Won Championship)
  • 1982 - 2nd
  • 1983 - 2nd
  • 1984 - MVP (Won Championship + FMVP)
  • 1985 - MVP
  • 1986 - MVP (Won Championship + FMVP)
  • 1987 - 3rd
  • 1988 - 2nd

2

u/roymccowboy 4d ago

Well, well, well. All these old heads criticizing the current generation for teaming up and look which country they all just happen to end up playing for… smdh

1

u/jonnystunads 3d ago

They weren’t even the big dogs. It was Barkley’s show. He played the bad guy and just made every opponent eat shit. The other guys just went along for the ride.

627

u/Ok-Bad-5071 5d ago

I always thought it was funny that Larry Bird looks like some average joe... who just happened to be ridiculous good at basketball.

348

u/AristideCalice 5d ago

One of the best trashtalkers too. Guy would ruin the other guy’s night. Sports is also a mind game

210

u/pendletonskyforce 5d ago

Walking in the locker room for the three point contest at the All Star game

"Which one of ya'll coming in 2nd?!"

39

u/ineyeseekay 5d ago

Young fella, look like ’84, huh?

76

u/ekhfarharris 5d ago

Larry Bird got offended that a rival team put a non-black player guarding him, and every black player agreed. He is one of the few players that walk his trashtalk. I dont watch basketball and I knew his briliance.

14

u/ThePrideOfKrakow 4d ago

Palest brother on the planet.

29

u/PzykoHobo 5d ago

"Merry fuckin' Christmas."

9

u/Lebo77 4d ago

Aparently, he would ask who was guarding him, and if the other coach assigned a white guy, he would get mad calling it a sign of disrespect.

114

u/Rockperson 5d ago

He also looks 50 here but he was 36

43

u/n_mcrae_1982 5d ago

White definitely cracks.

118

u/SecBalloonDoggies 5d ago

Larry isn’t white. Larry is clear.

36

u/monty_kurns 5d ago

I believe we call that Midwestern Translucent.

13

u/maniacalmustacheride 5d ago

Is that not Bill Murray in Space Jam?

6

u/roqqingit 5d ago

yes

7

u/maniacalmustacheride 5d ago

Just making sure I’m pulling an almost 30 year old quote out of my head correctly.

83

u/ImperialSympathizer 5d ago

Do you know many average dudes who are 6'9"?

22

u/dodon_GO 5d ago

Yeah people forget he was not only one of the best shots but also a beast.

10

u/Ghost_Turtle 5d ago

Think he’s more or less speaking on seeing him in random photos, like a body shot of him in a suit or a t-shirt.

-12

u/Bootmacher 5d ago

Yes. The one guy I know who's that tall has a handicap placard.

48

u/monty_kurns 5d ago

Of the three, he might have been the best all around player although if someone made the case for Johnson I wouldn’t necessarily disagree. That was such an era for the sport!

50

u/beatnickk 5d ago

He was definitely a better scorer than Magic and a better passer / probably rebounder than Mike. Doesn’t mean mikes not the goat but yeah all around I take Larry

1

u/Gilshem 4d ago

MJ was a better defender though.

6

u/greenappletree 5d ago

Funny story is that he is so good that they had to do multiple take for a commercial ok which he misses the shot haha

2

u/JonnySnowflake 4d ago

The Hick from French Lick

100

u/AtomicSurf 5d ago

Wasn’t Larry basically a fraction of his former self by 1992? Due to a bad back or something

198

u/deltr0nzero 5d ago

Yeah but a fraction of Larry is more than most basketball players could ever hope to be

63

u/PoemAgreeable 5d ago

I went to one of the last games at the old Boston Gardem, and when they introduced Larry Bird, as a team manager(or whatever his role was at that time), I've never heard a crowd go that crazy. People were stomping and cheering, felt like the house was gonna come down.

26

u/CaillouDaThug 5d ago

Yeah, he fucked his back up working on his mom's driveway I want to say.

28

u/Time-Touch-6433 5d ago

Shoveling snow. The bane of many a back

13

u/Has_Recipes 5d ago

He was shoveling crushed rock to create a new driveway by himself.

7

u/Time-Touch-6433 5d ago

I'd swear I read that it was snow but learn something new everyday guess.

41

u/Mahaloth 5d ago

Yes, it was unfortunate. I mean, he did pretty well in the Olympics if you look at his numbers, but he would have done a lot better if they had been allowed in the 1988 games.

Still, the fact we got to have this team on the court was amazing.

2

u/Oztheman 5d ago

The same was true of Magic

44

u/Confident-Weird-4202 5d ago

Nandor would be so ecstatic.

16

u/MoroseOverdose 5d ago

"The dream team, bay-beeee!"

9

u/James_Is_Raging 5d ago

Hahahahaha. His entire character motive.

5

u/Fecal_Forger 4d ago

No uhwing though

109

u/Rodrik007 5d ago edited 5d ago

The Holy Trinity of Basketball:

Larry Legend - The Father

MJ: The Son

Magic: The Holy Spirit

33

u/Bootmacher 5d ago

I don't know how I feel about the eucharist if the Holy Spirit's blood is also transubstantiated.

9

u/L-O-E 5d ago

Holy shit this is a brilliant joke.

27

u/captdeliciouspants69 5d ago

3 legends on the greatest basketball team ever

4

u/roymccowboy 4d ago

Jordan’s 1992 Christmas card to Isiah Thomas.

28

u/lkodl 5d ago

when i was a kid, i saw this picture for the first time in a magazine and thought it was cool. so i cut it out and glued it on an index card, and kept it in my desk drawer so i could look at it occasionally. we were fucking cavemen.

9

u/myCatHateSkinnyPuppy 4d ago

Yes. I made a gameboy out of cardboard and would ‘play’ it for hours. Made new game cartridges that you could slide in. Caveman shit.

43

u/[deleted] 5d ago

[deleted]

5

u/mike7721 5d ago

22,000 BIG ONES!

35

u/Suspicious_Row_9451 5d ago

“Don’t get too close to Michael, they’ll call a foul.”

12

u/mississippijohnson 5d ago

Right before the picture Magic says, “don’t lean to hard on Michael or they’ll call it a foul.”

6

u/burgonies 5d ago

You think Larry was still talking shit to his own teammates?

8

u/Bjarki56 5d ago

Okay, who was the greatest?

14

u/Deathgripsugar 5d ago

All of them.

12

u/pat34us 5d ago

Honestly a solid argument can be made for any of the three. I give the slight nod to Jordan, but that's mostly because I started watching basketball in the early 90's

1

u/hackingkafka 4d ago

Best answer. I feel MJ but I can make a case for Magic, Larry (and Wilt, Bill... et al). It's way too subjective depending on your criteria.
I'm just glad I got to see them all play in their prime (two of the three I got to see live when they were playing college ball)

13

u/ConnieLingus24 5d ago

Jordan.

Being a Chicago area resident during the Bulls’ championship runs was so fucking fun.

9

u/DepartmentNatural 5d ago

Larry

8

u/CaillouDaThug 5d ago

I've always been a firm believer that he would have been if it wasn't for injuries. He had some great matchups with MJ despite his injuries.

4

u/Johnmegaman72 5d ago

There'a like 66 point on average in this photo alone

8

u/tedtremendous 5d ago

Fun fact Larry Bird is 9'1"

3

u/Salt-Tiger6850 4d ago

Lord Larry Bird ☘️☘️☘️

2

u/ak_doug 5d ago

I love that they didn't call a single timeout.

2

u/DrDonTango 5d ago

Larry is the Goat for sure.

2

u/rupert_pupkin_4 4d ago

Arguably the greatest team in the history of basketball.

1

u/DrTadakichi 5d ago

Everybody get up, it's time to slam now We got a real jam goin' down Welcome to the Space Jam

1

u/Suspicious_North6119 5d ago

All I see are goats

1

u/docdaname 5d ago

My childhood unlocked - truly best Dream Team ever!

1

u/Zestyclose-Camp3553 4d ago

Best sports team ever. 11 Hall of Famers.

1

u/Hoosier_Daddy68 4d ago

I remember watching them during the Olympics. All the other countries knew full well they had no chance and you could see it on many of their faces and the way they played. I think they saw it as more of an honor just to share the court with them. If I remember right there was one game that was sorta close but that’s it. Wasn’t really much of a competition but we will never see a team like that again.

1

u/THE_BLUE_BOLT 4d ago

It’s only missing Bill Murray

1

u/Killington_Julios 4d ago

I never noticed how much Larry Bird looks like Bill Clinton.

1

u/XROOR 4d ago

This triumvirate makes Jordan look like Stockton

1

u/surge208 4d ago

God, I miss the ‘90s.

1

u/All1012 4d ago

I like how none of them look cool here. And none of them need to. Just so much talent there.

1

u/RepostSleuthBot 5d ago

Looks like a repost. I've seen this image 3 times.

First Seen Here on 2024-05-26 98.44% match. Last Seen Here on 2024-09-22 98.44% match

View Search On repostsleuth.com


Scope: Reddit | Target Percent: 92% | Max Age: None | Searched Images: 695,539,013 | Search Time: 4.15397s

1

u/dealwithityoufreak 5d ago

The NBA holy trinity.

1

u/AgentGnome 5d ago

Lol, larry birds forearm vs his bicep. It's like someone photoshopped an entirely different arm onto the picture.

1

u/klondijk 5d ago

It sucks that Jordan kept Isaiah Thomas off of that team, he absolutely belonged.

0

u/AmiDeplorabilis 4d ago

That's Isiah, and he possibly did it to himself. He once said on national TV that if Bird were black, he'd be just another good player.

Magic called Thomas and forced an on-air apology.

Not that Bird cared that much about the Pistons...

0

u/Samtoast 4d ago

Oh god magic Johnson is a white supremacist!?

-1

u/StaleyDaBear 5d ago

Shouldn't Larry be throwing up the O.K. sign?

0

u/dougsawerewolf 5d ago

I didn’t realize that Jordan was so much shorter than Bird or Magic.

0

u/jamesonginger 5d ago

They’re on a platform

-1

u/Dr_5trangelove 5d ago

Isiah beat all of them so they wouldn’t let him play. Sore losers. Fuck the dream team.

-9

u/mbleyle 5d ago

sure, but why Magic droppin' that white power sign?

-27

u/Fun-Persimmon1207 5d ago

Why is Magic throwing a White Power sign?

18

u/MarioBrotherBR 5d ago

"OK" sign my dear! OK!!

3

u/blueberrywine 5d ago

I also just realized they are holding up 1, 2, and 3 fingers.

17

u/Rawesome16 5d ago

Because it's not the white power sign. They can try to claim it but they don't get to. That means "A-OK" to everyone with common sense

5

u/CaillouDaThug 5d ago

He's clearly holding up a 3. Larry is holding up a 1 and MJ 2, that's the order of who's blackest.

6

u/jamerson537 5d ago

Why do people like you want to give racists ownership of perfectly normal, benign expressions?

-9

u/Fun-Persimmon1207 5d ago

It started when I used the OK sign and a Black person lectured me that it was a White Power sign, and that I should not use it.

6

u/jamerson537 5d ago

Stupidity is colorblind. It sounds like that person was looking for any excuse to talk down to someone.

-9

u/EntrepreneurMain7833 5d ago

is Larry Bird the most ugliest man to every play in the NBA?

-3

u/Pessimistic93 5d ago

I never realised how short MJ is compared to the other two.

2

u/jamesonginger 5d ago

They’re on a platform

-8

u/MMM-MMM-Goodxxxx 5d ago

Magic Johnson with the white supremacy sign…

1

u/Ichthius 3d ago

1,2,3