David Lee: The Contemporary Larry Bird?
Fri, Aug 28, 2009 by Patrick Mauro
After a 1987 NBA Playoff game between the Boston Celtics and the Detroit Pistons, Dennis Rodman made the comment that “Larry Bird was overrated because he was white in a league full of black players.”
When asked about Rodman’s statement, Isiah Thomas responded, “I think Larry is a very, very good basketball player. He’s an exceptional talent, but I have to agree with Rodman. If he were black, he’d be just another good guy.”
In retrospect, Rodman’s statement seems way off, but it’s true that Larry Legend was a bit of an anomaly. He flourished in an NBA in which he was a minority.
Go ask Magic Johnson if Bird was great. (Credit: picapp.com)
Bird was one of the best to ever play the game and certainly the best American-born Caucasian to suit up in the NBA, with Mr. “tight shorts” John Stockton second on the list. Super old-school readers may throw out the name George Mikan as well.
But what about today?
Plenty of white guys not from the states are having huge success. Spain’s Pau Gasol just won an NBA Title, Canada’s Steve Nash is a two-time NBA MVP, and Dirk Nowitzki, from Germany, is one of the better offensive players in the league.
What about domestic born Caucasians?
We still have a media that wants to compare any good white player to Larry Legend the same way they tried to crown Harold Miner, Jerry Stackhouse, Vince Carter, and others the “next Jordan.”
Remember when they were calling Adam Morrison the next Bird? I don’t ever remember Larry sitting at mid-court crying.
A bunch of Duke guys–Danny Ferry, Christian Laettner, Mike Dunleavy Jr.–at some point, by some so-called expert were dubbed “the next Larry Bird” or “possessing Bird-like skills.”
Charles Barkley said about his 1992 Dream Team teammate, “the only thing Christian Laettner has in common with Larry Bird is they both pee standing up.”
Eric Piatkowski, Mike Miller, Wally Szczerbiak, Keith Van Horn are just some of the non-Dukies I think Sir Quotable would describe with similar, if not more demeaning rhteoric, who have been compared to the Celtics great.
Why am I not signed? (Credit: picapp.com)
Which brings us to David Lee.
He’s currently un-signed as New York Knicks training camp begins in about a month. He’s coming off a good statistical season (his numbers may look a little large because of Mike D’Antoni’s uptempo offense) and would be considered, by a small margin, the best American born Caucasian player in the league.
Today’s Larry Bird?
Not that there’s much competition.
Who else is even close? Troy Murphy and Kevin Love are the only two players who put up comparable numbers.
36 Minute Averages
| Player | PTS | RB | FG% | FT% | 3PT% | AST | STL | BLK |
| Lee | 16.5 | 12.1 | 54.9 | 75.5 | 0 | 2.2 | 1 | .3 |
| Murphy | 15.1 | 12.5 | 47.5 | 82.6 | 45 | 2.5 | .8 | .5 |
| Love | 15.8 | 12.9 | 45.6 | 78.9 | 10.5 | 1.5 | .6 | .9 |
Lee put up career highs last November versus the Warriors with 37 points and 21 rebounds. He became the first Knicks player with 30 points and 20 rebounds in a game since Patrick Ewing in 1997 and had a stretch of ten straight double-doubles.
Murphy takes nearly five shots from beyond the arc every game, but did have Danny Granger as the focus of the offense allowing for many offensive put-backs and wide open threes.
Love might be closest to Bird in a few years. (Credit: picapp.com)
Love was a 20-year-old rookie last season coming off just one season on college hoop. He clearly has the highest upside of the three and a pressure-free situation in which to develop and uber-talented Al Jefferson to play off of in Minnesota.
I can just imagine the colorful verbiage Sir Charles would use to compare any of these three to the guy from French Lick.
Lee possesses tremendous athleticism and at 26, is 3 years younger than Murphy and headed into his prime. Too bad he’s on such a bad basketball team. He’ll likely only sign a one-year deal in New York and might one day be released from hoops purgatory with a chance to blossom in a more functional setting.
As soon as this season, Love–who may up his assists total under Kurt Rambis–could be the best American born Caucasian player, but if a true comparison is to be made, his game is a lot more Kevin McHale than it is or ever will be Larry Bird.
The comparisons will keep coming and at an even higher rate because of the proliferation of media.
Think about it. Nowitzki was compared to Bird, and as good as Mark Cuban’s highest paid employee is, Barkley’s words apply to him the same way they applied to Laettner.
Who knows if a player like Bird–whose talent transcended race–ever again graces our presence.
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I don’t think we have any American Birds in the NBA right now.. except for the Birdman.
safe to say.
imagine birdman with all those tattoos in the 80’s.
“Lee possesses tremendous athleticism”
Say what?
super athletic in the d’antoni offense. he gets up and down the court, he scores. athlete.
You’d be surprised. For as much of the “goofy white guy” vibe he gives off, Lee can run the court with the best of them, and gets great hangtime. Go back and look up how he did in the Sprite slam dunk contest in high school. Check the youtube.
Dirk Nowitzki is the best white player in the league. I think that when properly motivated he can be clutch, but motivation seems to get lost in translation for hiim sometimes.
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