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There never will be another Larry Bird. That became painfully clear for Boston Celtics fans 34 years ago Tuesday, when the franchise legend announced his retirement after 13 extraordinary NBA seasons. Yahoo Sports commemorated the anniversary by sharing Bird’s almost unbelievable list of accomplishments. Twelve All-Star selections. Ten All-NBA honors. Three All-Defensive selections. Rookie of the Year. Three consecutive MVP awards. Three NBA championships. Two NBA Finals MVP awards. Bird also was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and later selected to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team. Even that lengthy list fails to explain how completely he transformed basketball in Boston. The Celtics were coming off a 29-win season before Bird made his NBA debut in 1979. As a rookie, he averaged 21.3 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists while leading Boston to a 61-21 record. It was a 32-win improvement in one season. Larry Bird Restored Celtics’ Championship Standard Bird did not simply make Boston respectable again. He returned the Celtics to the top of the NBA. With Bird joining Kevin McHale and Robert Parish in one of the greatest frontcourts ever assembled, Boston won championships in 1981, 1984 and 1986. 34 years ago today, Larry Bird hung it up after 13 seasons in Boston 🍀 — Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) August 18, 2026 ▪️ 12x All-Star ▪️ 10x All-NBA ▪️ 3x All-Defensive ▪️ 1980 Rookie of the Year ▪️ 3x MVP ▪️ 3x NBA Champion ▪️ 2x Finals MVP ▪️ NBA 75th Anniversary Team ▪️ Hall of Fame pic.twitter.com/WZo1YMaMm3 The 1984 championship came against Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers, giving the NBA’s greatest individual rivalry its biggest professional stage. Bird averaged 27.4 points and 14 rebounds during the series to win his first Finals MVP award. Two years later, the Celtics produced one of the greatest seasons in league history. Boston went 67-15 during the 1985-86 regular season, including a staggering 40-1 record at Boston Garden. Bird averaged 25.8 points, 9.8 rebounds and 6.8 assists while winning his third consecutive MVP award. Only Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain previously had won three straight MVPs. No player has accomplished the feat since Bird. The Celtics defeated the Houston Rockets in six games to claim their 16th championship, with Bird recording 29 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists in the clinching victory. Bird was not the most athletic player on the floor. He did not need to be. His shooting, anticipation, toughness and extraordinary passing allowed him to control games before opponents understood what was happening. He also became famous for telling defenders what he planned to do before doing it anyway. Injuries Ended Bird’s Career Before His Brilliance Faded Bird’s body eventually could no longer keep pace with his basketball mind. He underwent surgery to remove bone spurs from both heels after playing only six games during the 1988-89 season. Chronic back issues later limited him to 45 games in his final campaign. The image of Bird lying beside the Celtics bench instead of sitting in a chair became a painful reminder of how much discomfort he endured just to continue playing. He still produced at an All-Star level. Bird averaged 20.2 points, 9.6 rebounds and 6.8 assists over his final three seasons. In March 1992, only months before retiring, he delivered 49 points, 14 rebounds, 12 assists and four steals in a double-overtime victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. Bird completed his final basketball assignment that summer, helping the iconic United States “Dream Team” win a gold medal at the Barcelona Olympics. He announced his retirement Aug. 18, 1992. “As the 1992-93 NBA season approached, Bird decided he could not continue,” the NBA wrote in its retrospective. Boston immediately moved Bird into a special assistant role. His No. 33 later was raised to the Boston Garden rafters during a sold-out ceremony. MORE: Why Jayson Tatum's Viral Workout Video Has Celtics Fans Divided Bird’s Numbers Still Define Celtics Greatness Bird retired with 21,791 points, 8,974 rebounds and 5,695 assists over 897 regular-season games. He averaged 24.3 points, 10 rebounds and 6.3 assists for his career while shooting 49.6% from the field and 88.6% from the free-throw line. Those numbers are remarkable on their own. They become even more impressive when paired with his postseason production. Bird averaged 23.8 points, 10.3 rebounds and 6.5 assists over 164 playoff games. He led Boston to five NBA Finals appearances and three championships during a decade shared with Johnson’s Lakers, Julius Erving’s Philadelphia 76ers and Isiah Thomas’ Detroit Pistons. His most memorable moments remain woven into Celtics history. The improbable rebound and left-handed finish against Houston in the 1981 Finals. The steal against Thomas and assist to Dennis Johnson in the 1987 Eastern Conference finals. The three consecutive 3-point contest championships. The countless passes delivered through openings only Bird appeared capable of seeing. Thirty-four years have passed since Bird walked away. Boston eventually found more champions, from Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The Celtics continued adding banners to the rafters Bird helped fill. His place in franchise history, however, remains untouchable. Bird did not merely play 13 seasons in Boston. He restored the Celtics, tormented the Lakers and established a standard that every Boston superstar still is measured against.