Larry Bird and Dennis Rodman undoubtedly hold cult status in the NBA. The two Hall of Famers crossed paths numerous times during the 1980s and 1990s, forming one of the most intense rivalries. However, things got ugly between them, especially with Rodman crossing the line at one point.
Known for his trash-talking skills, Bird tried to get into Rodman's head on several occasions and succeeded. However, things reached a new low when The Worm called Larry Legend overrated, suggesting that the Boston Celtics legend benefited from being white, which led to heavy backlash.
Decades later, Dennis once again sparked controversy with his statement about Larry playing in Europe when discussing the modern era. Meanwhile, Bird maintained a dignified silence. That said, the Celtics legend admitted to having apprehensions about potentially coaching Rodman in 1997.
"It would be hard for me, just getting into coaching, to have a player like Dennis on my team. I don't have a problem with him, his color of his hair, I don't have a problem the way he plays. I have a problem with Dennis when he's thrown out of games because that hurts nobody but his teammates. I mean, does he care for his teammates?" replied Bird, who had donned the coaching hat for the Indiana Pacers in 1997.
It's no secret that The Worm wasn't a fan of authority, which was visible from his erratic behavior on several occasions. Hadn't it been for Chuck Daly and Phil Jackson, Rodman would have been out of the league in no time. Dennis never considered himself a professional athlete.
"Athletes are boring, typical, and predictable. I can't even watch them talk on TV. You know, the scene after the game," stated the five-time champion during a 1997 interview.
"The difference between me and athletes is, they want to be athletes. They even want to be coaches when their careers are over.I am above all that," added Dennis.
Thus, Bird would indeed have had a challenging time coaching Rodman, who was known for his wild parties, high-profile affairs and disappearing acts. Not to mention, Dennis was a regular when it came to being ejected from games and earning suspensions.
Oddly enough, during his playing career, Bird was one of the few who could afford to play mind games and talk trash to Rodman.
Larry Legend is, to date, regarded as one of the NBA's biggest trash-talkers. The three-time champion had mastered the art of provocation, even managing to get under the skin of a strong personality like Dennis the Menace, who admitted being completely disrespected.
"I would be all over him, trying to deny him the ball. And all Larry was doing was yelling at his teammates, 'I'm open, hurry up before they notice nobody is guarding me.. Who's guarding me? I'm going for 60 if nobody's on me," revealed Rodman.
Getting into The Worm's mind was not something many players could even dare to try, but Bird was a different beast. However, it was a different ball game when it came to coaching Dennis, who did things his way and was not the best influence to have in the locker room.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Nov 28, 2025, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
