Jan 17, 1990; Orlando, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Boston Celtics forward Larry Bird (33) on the bench against the Orlando Magic at the Orlando Arena. Mandatory Credit: Imagn Images / RVR Photos-Imagn Images
It is no secret NBA Hall of Famer Larry Bird loved trash talk.
It was even more important when Bird faced a rookie for the first time. Former NBA player Jayson Williams learned this his first season with Philadelphia 76ers in 1990. He told the story of his initial encounter with Bird in an [interview with Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson](https://scoopb.com/2025/03/jayson-williams-and-the-brotherhood-of-basketball-a-journey-from-the-nets-to-now/).
“I remember walking into the locker room and seeing Coach Bird there,” Jayson recalled. “When I first came into the league, he must’ve lit me up for 45 points. I wanted to get in the game, and he kept saying, ‘Put the rookie in! Put the f—-n’ rookie in!’ So when I got there to the locker room, he just looked at me and said, ‘Your minutes are on the board.’ That’s how you know when you’re going to play."