It is common knowledge that one of the most self-assured players in NBA history was Larry Bird, the legendary Boston Celtics star. Not to mention, he was a major trash talker. As a rookie, former Seattle SuperSonics player Shawn Kemp experienced it firsthand.
According to legend, Bird would reveal to specific defenders exactly what he planned to do during a game before he carried it out. Among those defenders was Kemp, an athletic 6-foot-10, 230-pound forward/center. Some people might think that Bird’s stories on trash talk are frequently overdone. Kemp clarified 35 years later that this was untrue.
Shawn Kemp Admits Larry Bird Embarrassed Him During His Rookie Season
Perhaps Kemp was having his NBA debut. The Sonics traveled to Boston on December 13, 1989, to play the Celtics and Bird. The 1980s championship run by Boston was finished. After three titles in a decade, Robert Parish, Kevin McHale, and Bird were all past their prime.
Bird endured foot, elbow, and back issues, but he remained driven. He was still full of confidence. Kemp was chosen with the 17th overall pick in the 1989 NBA Draft, and he entered the league as a highly anticipated rookie. Gifted athletically, Kemp went on to be selected to the NBA All Star team six times.
Kemp was gradually acclimated to life in the NBA as a rookie. That was until he was forced to protect Bird in Boston, even if it was just for a short while.
“We arrived in Boston that evening, and (Xavier McDaniel) experienced some knee discomfort,” Kemp remarked in a 2024 podcast interview with “All the Smoke.” It’s a terrible moment for you to start complaining of knee discomfort, I said.
I say to myself, “I’m going to give this (expletive) fits out here tonight,” as I glance in the mirror. I was rubbing my hands and staring at Bird before the game, feeling like I was going to kick your ass, dude.
