Hall of Fame forward Dominique Wilkins, known for his battles with fellow Boston Celtics alum Larry Bird while he was still with the Atlanta Hawks, recently defended Bird against criticism from former NBAer Dennis Rodman. Despite the infamous trash-talking between Wilkins and Bird, they developed mutual respect over the years that the Human Highlight Reel still has to this day.
Wilkins confronted Rodman for his claim that Bird couldn’t excel in the modern NBA in a recent interview with Vlad TV via the Basketball Network’s Owen Crisafulli. “I have a lot of respect for Dennis, I know Dennis well, he’s a good dude, but that’s delusional,” said Wilkins.
“Larry Bird could play in any era and do the same thing he did in our era. It couldn’t handle him, today’s players could not handle him.”
Wilkins did not reserve his ire for The Worm alone, also addressing critiques from “Old Man and the 3” podcast host JJ Redick for suggesting the physicality of the modern game would be too much for Bird. “It’s a stupid comment because Larry Bird played in the most physical era ever,” he said.
“He’s 6’10, almost 6’11, and he was physical himself … it’s like, what league (are) you watching? Physicality is gone, it’s not like it was back then … that is the most idiotic thing I’ve ever heard.”
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Story originally appeared on Celtics Wire