Larry Bird’s inaugural All-Star game appearance in 1980 as a Boston Celtics icon.
It’s quite rare for a rookie to make the NBA All-Star Game. In fact, this has only occurred 45 times in the history of the league, with the last instance being Blake Griffin in 2011. However, very few rookies enter the league with the level of talent that Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird possessed when he joined in 1979.
Bird had an exceptional rookie season, earning a spot on both the 1980 All-Rookie Team and as the Rookie of the Year, while also being selected as an All-Star. During his debut season, he averaged 21.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.7 steals per game.
Although he only scored 7 points and had as many assists in the midseason exhibition game, Bird would go on to earn 11 more All-Star selections throughout his career, significantly surpassing his initial performance in basketball’s most notable friendly.
