"He was way above the game, way above everybody else" - Michael Jordan on what made Larry Bird special

Only a few guys could pose a challenge to Michael Jordan on the court, but Larry Bird was a notable exception. 

MJ's competitiveness might've never allowed him to praise Larry Legend face-to-face, but he's never had reservations in acknowledging the greatness of the Boston Celtics forward. 

"I get so many questions about Larry Bird, 'Was he really that good?' I say, 'Yeah, he was really that good,'" Jordan said in an episode of Icons Club Podcast. "When you see a player like Luka or Dirk, they're great players, but they're not Larry Bird, by no means. 

You have to have a great appreciation and play against a guy who athletically every single night was at a disadvantage, but yet, mentally and the way his work ethic was, he was way above the game, way above everybody else." 

God disguised as Michael Jordan" It is hardly a revelation that the NBA required a resurgence, particularly after struggling with drug abuse in the 1970s. 

While Bird played a pivotal role in reigniting the once-forgotten rivalry between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers, once his rivalry with Magic Johnson ended in the 1990s, it was Jordan who stepped into the spotlight, becoming the next major sensation in the league.