Is Larry Bird Gay? National Basketball Association has produced several legends, and one of them is American former player Larry Bird. The legendary basketballer is said to be one of the greatest players in the history of the NBA. He officially joined the league during the late 1970s and created a huge impact on the audience. His active participation in NBA and extraordinary performance led to several achievements. Larry was chosen as the head coach for the Indiana Pacers. Moreover, currently, the player is in the media spotlight as HBO is bringing the second season of Winning Time: The Rise Of The Lakers Dynasty. The professional basketball player is known to have a huge rivalry with Magic Johnson. This rivalry will form the central plot of the series’ sophomore instalment. Besides this, fans are also curious about his sexuality. People question if Larry Bird gay or straight in real life. If you are also the one looking for an answer, then keep reading.
The audience and fans were in tears when Bird announced his retirement on August 18, 1992. The Indiana-born sports celebrity had dedicated more than 15 years to the NBA. In an interview, he said that his early poor conditions still inspired him. Larry used to play basketball whenever he wanted to escape his family problems. His brother, Eddie Bird, also played the same sport during his college days. Interestingly, Larry Bird received a scholarship that was solely for playing college basketball. Moreover, the retired basketball player was once speculated to have been related to Sue Bird, a WNBA star. Later on, such beliefs were discarded, and it was officially confirmed both of them were not related. Despite the same last name, the athletes share no common link in between.
Larry Bird Featuring In HBO’s Winning Time: The Rise Of The Lakers Season 2!
The debut installment of the American sports drama titled Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers premiered on March 6, 2022. It portrayed the past era of the NBA and focused particularly on Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Sadly, the first instalment did not go as smoothly as expected and faced certain criticism. It landed in a controversy as people started speculating that the sports drama is depicting Lakers alumnus in a different way. Therefore, throughout the run, there was a demand for authenticity.
Nevertheless, the HBO series is all set to return to the screens. The champions are returning this summer, but this time, Winning Time: The Rise Of The Lakers is all about the escalating rivalry between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. The trailer has given much insight into the central plot, and the clip also gives a sneak peek into the squad’s ups and down. The role of Larry Bird will be played by Sean Patrick Small, while Quincy Isaiah will play Magic Johnson. Winning Time Season 2 will release on August 16, 2023, on HBO. It will also be available to stream on HBO Max. But will it cover fans’ curious question about the Celtics’ legend’s sexuality? Is Larry Bird gay?
How Did Larry Bird Start His Career?
The 66-year-old legendary basketball player was the sixth overall pick by Boston Celtics. Although Larry Bird was selected in the 1978 NBA draft, he did not join the team. Larry waited until he failed to win the NCAA title while remaining at Indiana State. Following the failure, he signed with Celtics in 1979. His performance was so instantly impressive that he won the Rookie of the Year award in 1980, beating Magic Johnson. With this, the rivalry reached a new point, and NBA took a new shape. Their rivalry ignited during their college days when Larry lost to Johnson.
The 1987-1988 season is probably the most successful tenure in Bird’s career. This season marked the highest-scored duration. During the 1980s, the legendary basketball player won three NBA championships. He was also awarded three NBA MVP awards. Larry would have gained more accolades, but his retirement made it impossible. He retired due to back issues and other chronic injuries. In 1997, Bird signed with Indiana Pacers as a coach but served the position only for three years.
Is Larry Bird Gay? Did The Player Marry Someone?
It is common for fans to show their curiosity concerning their star’s personal lives or other aspects. The same goes for Larry Bird. The NBA player is speculated Larry Bird gay, and thus, his sexual orientation is in the media headlines. According to the reports, Larry’s name has never been linked to a guy. He was not spotted with a male friend either, whom we can label as his guy partner. So, it will be safe to say that Larry Bird is not gay and is happily married to Dinah Mattingly.
Coming to Bird’s marriage, the athlete is presently married to Dinah. They married each other in 1989 and have been together since then. The couple adopted two children, Conner and Mariah. However, prior to her, Larry married Janet Condra. The pair tied the wedding knot in 1975, but the relationship did not last for a year. Janet and Bird got separated after a year. However, the former couple had a daughter in 1977 whom they named Corrie. Hence, Larry has never been with a guy and is happily married to his Mattingly. This clears away all perplexions about his sexuality. Keep reading TECH RADAR 247 for more details!