Robert Parish, Kevin McHale, and Larry Bird were all unable to…
As their legendary NBA careers came to a close, a number of Boston Celtics players, including Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, and Larry Bird, voiced their complaints. Life as a basketball player in the NBA had grown monotonous after ten years. Talking among themselves in the locker room, they discussed life after basketball in addition to the typical basketball grievances.
None of those former Celtics were able to live out their post-basketball dreams.
Forming one of the best frontcourts in NBA history, they remained together for the duration of the 1980s and early 1990s after coming together in less than a year. Initially, Bird joined the Celtics in 1979–80 for his debut campaign. The next season, Boston acquired Parish from the Golden State Warriors in a transaction that would drastically change the franchise.
Parish and Golden State’s third overall pick were exchanged for Boston’s top pick in the 1980 NBA Draft as well as another draft pick in the trade with the Warriors. McHale was chosen by the Celtics using that selection.
Boston benefited immediately from the move. The Celtics had the best record in the NBA at 62-20 at the end of the 1980–81 season. They defeated the Houston Rockets in six games in the NBA Finals after outlasting the Philadelphia 76ers in seven games during the Eastern Conference Finals.
