Dennis Rodman says Larry Bird wouldn’t make the NBA in current era: ‘He'd be in Europe’

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NBA great Dennis Rodman is not done taking shots at Larry Bird. 

In a recent appearance on VladTV, Rodman was asked about comments made by Gilbert Arenas, who said Bird would "probably" beat LeBron James in a one-on-one matchup. 

Former NBA player Dennis Rodman coaches during the NFL Pro Bowl Weekend Celebrity All-Star Game 2023 benefiting the charity D Up On Cancer at the Cox Pavilion on Feb. 4, 2023 in Las Vegas. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Rodman could not have disagreed more.

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"If Larry Bird played in this era, I think he'd be in Europe," Rodman said. "I’m just letting you know, man. He'd be somewhere over there."

"His game was fit for Boston at that time in the '80s and stuff like that. Today's world, oh hell no. There's no way. I'm not downplaying him because he's a great player at that time, just like I was. But I'm saying, no. There's no way."

Rodman’s Detroit Pistons team in the 1980s had legendary battles with Bird and the Celtics, and the dislike between the two teams was palpable. 

In 1987, the Celtics beat the Pistons in the playoffs, with Rodman saying after the series that Bird was overrated because he was White. 

Boston Celtics Larry Bird, #33, in action versus Detroit Pistons Dennis Rodman, #10, at Boston Garden in Boston May 26, 1987. (Manny Millan /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

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"I was green. I was just saying anything," Rodamn told VladTV when asked how his comments. "I was frustrated because guess what? I got my a-- whooped by this kid. That’s why I probably said something like that. Not because I was angry or hatred, something like that. And because I really wasn’t paying attention to the whole league. I was just paying attention to my team. 

"I was just wondering why this guy was so good. Or what I would call it, great. So, I think I would have said the same thing if he was Black. I would have said something in a different direction. But it just so happened to be Larry Bird. And I apologized after that many, many times over." 

Rodman went on to praise Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, saying the NBA Finals MVP is a better player than Bird. 

Nikola Jokic, #15 of the Denver Nuggets, is awarded the Bill Russell MVP trophy after winning Game Five of the 2023 NBA Finals on June 12, 2023 at Ball Arena in Denver. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

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"I think the kid from Denver is way better than him," Rodman said. 

"He’s slow as hell but that guy got a game," Rodman continued. "I think he’s better than Larry Bird. In this day and age. 

"Compare him to Larry Bird, I think people would pick him."

Bird was a three-time NBA champion and one of only three players to win three consecutive regular-season MVP awards.