Being a 2x Hall of Famer and a career with over 21,000 points, Larry Bird surely dominated during his time. But it wasn’t the case always, and LeBron James’ hardest critic, Skip Bayless recalled a time when there were doubts over the Celtics’ legend’s abilities. However, let’s not forget the media mogul ranked Bird ahead of James, despite the Lakers superstar breaching the 40,000 milestone. But why did Bayless apologize?

“He was just deadly, especially when it mattered the most, and a great passer. So, I’m in Dallas at Reunion Arena, but he came to play and was at a shoot around and I just went up to him and apologized to him and said you he didn’t care who I was or what I was but I just apologized to him.” It was during the time when Larry Bird and Magic Johnson faced each other in the NCAA tournament.

“I saw him in the Semifinal but it wasn’t enough I think they played DePaul,” Bayless said during his appearance on All the Smoke podcast. “The quote I keep hearing is ‘Larry Bird is too slow-footed to make it in the NBA’. So I wrote a piece for Monday morning’s Dallas Morning News newspaper in which I said that there are coaches here who don’t believe Larry Bird can play. I didn’t say it but I said there are those here because I don’t think he was making that up or exaggerating.”

The former Undisputed host recalled the time when he met with Gil Brandt, the chief talent scout for an NFL team. The Dallas Cowboys chief talent scout would always run a hospitality suite for the college basketball coaches, so he could find a tight end for his football team as per Bayless. And it was Brandt’s words and statement that Bayless would publish, questioning the abilities of Larry Bird.

But he knew about his mistake. That’s why on the podcast he clarified it. “That was real like really really wrong because he (Bird) could really really play for a thousand other reasons than slow feet.” Larry Bird won the eventual Semifinal and set a Finals showdown against Magic Johnson.

Larry Bird lost to Magic Johnson because of ‘slow feet’?

One of the most interesting things about the 1979 NCAA Finals was that it pulled 35.1 million viewers. And it was Michigan State who ended up as the victor and Magic would win the ‘Most Outstanding Player’ award with his contribution on the night with 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists in the Finals.

“After the DePaul game, I remember back at the hotel I had some time to myself. I was thinking, ‘If I don’t score 40 points Monday night, we don’t have a chance to win.” The pressure might have caused the forward as he could only add 19 points, alongside his 13 rebounds. With the loss, Indiana State became the eighth undefeated team to reach the NCAA Finals, and just the second at that point to lose in the championship.

Even the Michigan coach said, “We defended him with an adjustment and a prayer.” So, the prayers worked in favor of Magic Johnson and his team, meanwhile, Larry Bird had to bear with the losing feeling to date. But he went on to win championships with the Boston Celtics and even 3x MVP awards. So, it was smart of Skip Bayless, who understood his assessment and made amends for it.