Following a legendary playing career that yielded three NBA championships with the Boston Celtics in the 1980s, Larry Bird eventually made his way back to his beloved home state of Indiana. As a native icon who starred for Indiana State, Bird could never say no to an opportunity to elevate his hometown franchise.
He dedicated much of his post-playing life to the Indiana Pacers , serving as both a highly successful head coach and a sharp-minded front-office executive.
One of the most volatile hurdles of his tenure as an executive came in the summer of 2010. Bird had used a second-round gamble to draft a highly touted but volatile Lance Stephenson with the 40th overall pick.
But before the rookie could even lace up his sneakers for a single professional practice, he found himself at the center of a national scandal after being arrested for throwing the mother of his child down a flight of stairs.
The incident ignited an immediate media firestorm, especially since it involved an incoming NBA rookie with a history of behavioral red flags. The victim required immediate emergency hospital treatment for head, neck, and back injuries sustained in the concrete stairwell, which prompted a swift, stern public response from Larry Legend.
"We have been made aware of a situation involving Lance Stephenson early Sunday morning in Brooklyn," Bird said in a statement. "We are currently in the process of gathering information and will have further comments as we learn more facts."
Lance was just 19 years old at the time and had not logged a single second on an NBA court. The backlash was instantaneous and the future of his newly signed rookie contract hung in absolute limbo. He had just inked a three-year deal with the Pacers that was set to pay him a guaranteed $700,000 in his first season and $800,000 in his second.
The Brooklyn native knew he would eventually have to sit across the table from one of the most intimidating, unfiltered trash-talkers in basketball history to answer for his actions and fight for his career.
"I'm just going to try to stay focused," Stephenson commented at the time. "I'm going to talk to him, see how he feels about it and I'm going to move forward from it."
Bird, who entered the NBA during its wild, rowdy transition era in the late 70s and 80s, when off-court issues were commonplace, brought a unique perspective as a seasoned basketball mind. He understood that young athletes make mistakes. Once the legal charges against Stephenson were eventually dismissed, Bird chose to hold onto the former No.1 high school prospect in New York state rather than cut ties.
It was a massive gamble, considering this was far from Stephenson's first serious brush with the law.
Just two years earlier, the 6'5" guard had been arrested for misdemeanor sexual assault, ultimately pleading down to a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge. He had also been suspended during his senior year of high school for a school fight, got cut from the UTeam USA U-18 squad, and saw his personal reality show, "Born Ready", canceled in the wake of his legal troubles.
Years later, in an open interview with ESPN, Stephenson reflected on the brutal, isolated reality of the early chapters of his career.
"Yeah. When you 'up,' everybody is there, trying to be your friend, and I just seen how it disappeared once I was going 'down.' A lot of people disappeared," Stephenson admitted . "But now that I'm on my P's and Q's again, everybody is there supporting me and kinda hoping the best for me."
"Now, I like being the underdog, not always on the top. I been ranked No. 1 since ninth grade, so now that I'm the underdog I'm going after people. I'm used to everybody going after me; now I'm going after people," he added.
Related: Larry Bird's hotel bill stunned his agent — and revealed his character
The rest, as basketball fans know, became history. Stephenson kept his head down, learned his lessons, and evolved into an absolutely indispensable piece of the Pacers' locker room. He became the emotional lightning rod of their squad, consistently pushing LeBron James and the powerhouse "Big 3" Miami Heat to their absolute limits.
For two consecutive seasons, the Cincinnati product helped guide the Pacers to back-to-back Eastern Conference finals appearances. Along the way, he birthed an iconic, viral individual rivalry with King James himself.
Though Stephenson never quite ascended to the absolute superstar heights projected during his legendary high school days at Abraham Lincoln, he carved out a highly respectable, hard-fought 10-year career in the association.
It began with Larry holding his entire future in his hands — possessing the absolute authority to void his rookie deal and alter his life's trajectory forever. It concluded with Lance securing lifetime NBA pension benefits and amassing over $35 million in career on-court earnings.
For a highly problematic second-round pick who looked destined to throw his life away before his 20th birthday, it was an incredible redemption story of a young man who learned his lesson early and let the game save him.
Related: "That sh*t hurted" - Michael Beasley reacts to Lance Stephenson's Brand Risk MMA win
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on May 29, 2026, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
