Basketball legend Larry Bird returned to the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday afternoon, serving as a team consultant.
Larry Bird is back in the building serving as a consultant. pic.twitter.com/kp4z974X0S
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) May 30, 2023
This is not the first time that Bird has been involved with the franchise. He was hired as the team's head coach in 1997 but said he would only do the job for up to three years.
Bird was named the NBA Coach of the Year and coached the Eastern Conference in the All-Star Game in 1998 after leading the Pacers to a franchise-best 58-24 record.
He further led the Pacers to a berth in the 2000 NBA Finals but lost to the dominant Shaq-Kobe-led Los Angeles Lakers. The basketball great stepped down from his role immediately after that season.
The Pacers rehired Bird as the president of basketball operations in 2003. He was awarded as the NBA's Executive of the Year in 2012 but stepped down the same year for health reasons.
The Hick From French Lick returned to the role in 2013 before stepping down again in 2017. Bird remained with the team as an advisor until 2022.
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Myles Turner Gets Nervous in the Presence of Larry Bird
With the basketball legend present in the Pacers' training facility, center Myles Turner could not hold his nerves. However, the 6-foot-11 big man used the energy as an inspiration, calling it "a blessing."
Speaking From Experience This Was Probably The Most Nervous I’d Ever Been During A Workout With LB In The Building… Looking Back That Nervous Energy Was A Blessing 💙💛 https://t.co/JKlcim2k0j
— Myles Turner (@Original_Turner) May 30, 2023
Turner, who led the league in blocks in 2018-19 and 2020-21, was drafted by the Pacers in 2015 as the 11th overall pick.
Bird previously praised Turner in 2017, noting the continuous improvement of his game.
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