Larry Bird has three NBA Championship rings, three MVP awards, and was named the coach of the year in 1998. The NBA legend can now add another trophy to his crowded trophy shelf as he was just named the National Basketball Association’s Executive of the Year.
Bloomberg reports that Bird is the first person to win an MVP award, a Coach of the Year Award, and an Executive of the Year Award. (Red Auerbach, Frank Layden and Pat Riley all won two of the three; Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year.)
Bird said in a statement:
“This is an honor for the Indiana Pacers, not an award for Larry Bird… Everyone in this franchise put in a lot of work and showed a lot of patience as we have tried to get this team to a level on and off the court the fans in Indiana can be proud of. You always believe, and hope, the players you get will fit into a plan and I’m very proud of what our guys and our coaches have accomplished so far this year.”
The Indiana Pacers went 42-24 during the regular season and are currently tied 1-1 with the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals.
The Associated Press reports that Bird made several moves during the off-season to help the Pacers become a playoff contender.
He promoted Frank Vogelfrom to head. He signed David West and George Hill and traded for Lou Amundson and Leandro Barbosa beef up the Pacers bench.
Larry Bird, who was inducted into the Basketball Hall Of Fame in 1998, received 88 points and 12 first place votes to win the Executive of the Year Award. San Antonio’s R.C. Buford came in second with 56 points.
