Larry Bird is a basketball legend, when people create a list of candidates for the Mount Rushmore of the NBA, his name is always mentioned. Before the era of Michael Jordan, many believed him to be the greatest of all time.
He was a highly sought prospect before joining the NBA in 1979 and proved his worth after dominating the court for years. Despite his early retirement due to recurring back injuries, his legacy is well-established.
After stepping back from active roles in 2022, Larry Bird is enjoying a private life. But recently the internet is going crazy about rumors of his sexual preference. Numerous internet polls show that a large number of people believe Larry Bird is gay.
This article will focus on how this speculation came to be and whether there is any truth behind it. Stick around and join us in this investigation!
Table of Contents
Pieces Of Information About Larry Bird You Might Not Know
Larry Bird is one of the greatest minds in the history of basketball. His three back-to-back MVPs were legendary, the first in the history of the NBA. His successful career as a coach and executive showcases his talent as well. The table below will help you to know him better, an overview of his fabulous career.
| Full Name | Larry Joe Bird |
| Nick Name | The Hick from French Lick, Larry Legend |
| Sex | Male |
| Date of Birth | 7 December 1956 |
| Occupation | Basketball Player (retired), Coach (retired), Executive (retired) |
| Hometown | West Baden, Indiana |
| Height | 6 feet 9 inches (2.06 m) |
| Weight | 220 lbs (100 kg) |
| Zodiac Sign | Sagittarius |
| Net Worth | $75 million |
| Player Career | 1979 – 1992 (Boston Celtics) |
| Coach Career | 1997 – 2000 (Indiana Pacers) |
| Accolades | Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, Finals MVP, All-Star MVP, Coach of the Year, Executive of the Year |
| Championships | NBA Championship 1981, 1984 and 1986
Olympics Gold Medal 1992 |
Is Larry Bird Gay? The Misconception Behind His Sexual Preference
When the rumor about Larry Bird’s sexuality started to circulate on social media, a lot of people were shocked. There is no history of Larry Bird dating men, not even rumors. Due to this prior lack of reasons behind the speculation, many were caught off guard.
But there might be a reason why his sexual preference is suddenly under question, we have investigated thoroughly. We have found the reason why some polls show netizens believe Larry Bird is gay.
Former WNBA player Sue Bird came out as a lesbian in 2017. She announced her sexual preference in front of the world when she spoke about her relationship with Megan Rapinoe, the star soccer player of USWNT.
Because of sharing the same last name, a lot of fans mistook Larry Bird for Sue Bird and thought he came out of the closet as gay. Alongside that many celebrities are coming out recently. Some thought this NBA legend did the same which is not the case in reality.
Larry Bird’s Two Marriages Are Proof Of His Heterosexuality
Larry Bird has married twice to this day. He first got married to his high school girlfriend Janet Condra in 1975. Both of them were young, they lacked the maturity that’s required for a successful marriage to work out. Therefore their marriage was unsuccessful.
Larry Bird and Janet Condra separated from one another only after one year in 1976. They got back together for a brief time and had a daughter born in 1977. Her name is Corrie Bird, she is the only biological daughter of Larry Bird.
Due to his earlier failed marriage, Larry Bird was unmarried for a while. Fate had other plans for him as he finally found common ground with his then-girlfriend Dinah Mattingly and married her in 1989. They are still together to this day and have adopted one son and one daughter named Connor and Mariah.
These two marriages prove that Larry Bird is not interested in men, rather his sexual preference was always women. If he was homosexual, his marriage with Dinah Mattingly should not have lasted all these years.
A Brief Overview Of Larry Bird’s Career
Larry Bird has one of the most legendary careers in the history of the NBA, his accomplishments are envious to almost everyone. He was drafted by the Boston Celtics in 1978. He did not join them right away, he decided to participate in the national Championship with his Indiana State University team.
They had an undefeated season and faced Michigan State where another NBA legend Magic Johnson used to play. Their rivalry started from there and lasted throughout their careers. Though it was bitter at first, they became good friends in the end.
He played for the Boston Celtics for a total of 13 seasons. They reached finals in five of them and won three championships. He even won a gold medal in 1992 with the U.S. basketball team.
He was selected 12 times for the NBA All-Star, won the NBA Finals MVP twice, and was awarded the NBA MVP three consecutive times from 1984 to 1986. He had to retire in his prime due to a back injury in 1992, who knows how many accolades he could achieve if he could play a few more years?
He had a brief run as a coach of the Indiana Pacers from 1997 to 2000 and won the Coach of the Year award during that time. He led them to central division titles twice before resigning in 2000. He worked as the president of Pacers basketball operations from 2003 and earned the Executive of the Year award for the 2011-2012 season.
He stepped down from the president’s position in 2017 and took the position of an advisor before completely retiring in 2022 from any active role.
Larry Bird’s Net Worth: His Salary, Endorsements & Real Estate
Larry Bird had a legendary career in the NBA, when people talk about the greatest of all time, his name often comes as the best during his era and could rival other greats like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Lebron James during their prime. In our estimation, his estimated net worth is around $75 million in 2024.
He was the highest-paid rookie of the year when he joined the Boston Celtics in 1979. He signed a 5-year contract for $3.25 million, 650,000 dollars per year. After the initial contract, he was signed again by the Celtics with a 4-year deal that earned him 1.8 million dollars per year.
The amount of money he was getting paid was unheard of during that time, his total earnings as a player are estimated at around $24 million dollars.
Larry Bird had endorsement deals with numerous companies, he appeared in advertisements for them. Clothing brands, video games as well as food manufacturing companies like Heinz Corporation. He trades in real estate and owns shares of a hotel and restaurant situated in Terre Haute.
Larry Bird used to live in a 10,232 square feet mansion in Indianapolis which he sold in 2019 for $2.3 million. The luxurious house had every modern facility including a tennis court, pool home theater, billiard room, and personal gym. He currently lives in a house in his hometown, Terre Haute.
Final Statement
Going through the whole rumor about Larry Bird’s sexuality, we can finally answer the question “Is Larry Bird gay?” negatively. There was no evidence behind the speculation, the reason behind many people querying about his sexual preference is because of Sue Bird.
The WNBA player recently announced she is gay which created a lot of buzz. Many fans mistook Sue Bird for Larry Bird which resulted in this misconception. Larry Bird’s marriages with Janet Condra and Dinah Mattingly are proof that he is not interested in men.
I hope your mind will finally rest knowing the sexual orientation of this basketball legend. Some of you might still be unconvinced and think he is a closeted gay. Until he announces his preference to the public, there is no sure way to say it.
If Larry Bird ever comes out of the closet, we will be the first ones to give the news to you.
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