"The only thing that those two had in common was their unshakable confidence in themselves" - Robert Parish on sharing the floor with Michael Jordan and Larry Bird
Throughout the history of the NBA, basketball fans have been fortunate enough to see some of the greatest players in the world showcase their talents. The game has seen a number of incredible players over the years, as it seems as if each generation brings us a new crop of individuals who have gone on to create a legacy within the sport.
When you look back and talk about players who have left an impactful legacy on the game, you can quickly point to a pair of hall of famers that will always go down as two of the most competitive spirits the NBA has ever seen. The two legends include Boston Celtics forward Larry Bird and Chicago Bulls guard Michael Jordan. Bird and Jordan are known for being "alphas" on the basketball court. They wanted nothing more than to win and let their opponents know that they weren't afraid of anyone on a nightly basis. After taking the league by storm in the 80s alongside rival Magic Johnson, it quickly became obvious that Michael Jordan was going to be the face of the league in the 90s.
Recently, NBA legend Robert Parish appeared as a guest on SiriusXM NBA Radio. Throughout Parish's career, he would go on to be a teammate of both Larry Bird and Michael Jordan. Parish was asked what it was like to share the court with two of the most legendary players the game has seen.
"The only thing that those two had in common was their unshakable confidence in themselves"
Michael Jordan and Larry Bird are two of basketball’s ultimate legends. @Hoophall Robert Parish played with both of them.
He tells @hoopscritic and @SamMitchellNBA what it was like to share the court with Jordan and Bird. https://t.co/2A8bGXAFqB
There's no denying the obvious differences that both Michael Jordan and Larry Bird had as players. While both were so brilliant on the basketball court, they dominated the game in such different ways. Bird wasn't close to the type of athlete that Jordan was, but he played with an incredible feel for the game, often displaying sensational vision on the court with his playmaking ability. Jordan was a high-flying wonder who dominated the game with his incredible combination of athleticism and quickness. Parish went into more detail though about an area of the game that stood out when it came to the two.
"All the all-time greats have that. No matter what is going on, no matter how poorly they are playing, when they need to step-up...most of the time they step-up and delivered."
If you're considered to be one of the greatest the game has ever seen, then it's going to be expected that you can show up for your team when you're needed the most. That's exactly what Jordan and Bird did throughout their careers. When the game was on the line, these two individuals were the ones that wanted the ball when it counted the most. Throughout their historic careers, both had plenty of game-winning moments that left the opposition in disbelief. That wasn't the only area that Parish was impressed by. He also talked about how Bird and Jordan were two of the greatest trash talkers the sport has ever seen.
"...Not to mention two of the all-time greats in the trash talking...It doesn't matter if they were having one of those nights where they were out of sync and they struggling, they never stopped talking trash."
Parish has a great point with this one, as Larry Bird and Michael Jordan are known for being two of the most legendary trash talkers in NBA history. There's no doubt that the two legends dominated on the court with their playing styles, but they also wanted to strike fear into their opponents with the psychological game.
Also Read: How much is Larry Bird’s Net Worth in 2021?