"Yes he was" - LeBron James agrees with Gary Payton on Larry Bird being one of the 'coldest' players in the NBA

Gary Payton and LeBron James (right). (Photo Courtesy of The LA Times)
Gary Payton and LeBron James (right). (Photo Courtesy of The LA Times)

LeBron James of the LA Lakers seemingly agrees with Gary Payton that Larry Bird is one of the 'coldest' players to have played the game.

In the premiere episode of Uninterrupted's 'Throwing Bones', Payton said that he considers Larry Bird one of the greatest trash-talkers ever to have played the league.

"Bird used to tell me, 'Look here man. I'm gonna go shoot this motherf**king jumper in your face right there in that corner. And it's gonna be your Christmas present. I'm gonna wrap it up and bust your head open.' All that sh*t," Payton said.

Explore the NBA Draft 2024 with our free NBA Mock Draft Simulator & be the GM of your favorite NBA team.

Payton described the Boston Celtics legend as the 'coldest dude' he's ever seen in terms of trash-talk. 'The Glove' added that when other great players say that Bird is a great trash-talker, they mean it because he could back it up on the court in any way he wanted.

LeBron James seemingly agrees with Payton, as he shared the clip of the episode in a story on his official Instagram page. James added a bunch of fax machine emojis, which meant facts.

"YES HE WAS!!" James wrote.

Larry Bird is indeed considered one of the best trash-talkers the NBA has ever seen.

One of his most famous trash-talks happened in the 1988 All-Star weekend when he asked his competitors in the three-point shootout about who was coming second. Bird nonchalantly went on to win his third consecutive three-point shootout.


LeBron James recently went viral for trash-talking the Sacramento Kings

LeBron James of the LA Lakers
LeBron James of the LA Lakers

LeBron James is not necessarily known for his trash-talk, but he recently went viral for it against the Sacramento Kings. In the LA Lakers' 122-114 win last Tuesday, James sealed the game in the final minute of the game by driving in the middle of the lane, taking a foul and making the shot for an one.

After hitting the dagger, an energetic James turned to the Kings' bench and talked trash. 'The King' was animated as the Lakers went on to win their third straight game. It should be noted that James' former teammate, Tristan Thompson, was on the Kings' bench.

The Lakers have struggled to find their rhythm without Anthony Davis. LeBron James has carried the team since December, and that's amazing because he's now 37, playing in his 19th season in the NBA.

Adding another layer to LeBron James' greatness is the fact that he has played center in the last few games. With Davis out until the end of January, James has taken it upon himself to play in the middle, which has proven to be effective.

The Lakers have won four straight games after defeating the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night.


Also Read: Who is LeBron James’ wife, Savannah James?

Boston Celtics Nation! You can check out the latest Boston Celtics Schedule and dive into the Celtics Depth Chart for NBA Season 2024-25.

Quick Links

Edited by Bhargav
Sportskeeda logo
Close menu
WWE
WWE
NBA
NBA
NFL
NFL
MMA
MMA
Tennis
Tennis
NHL
NHL
Golf
Golf
MLB
MLB
Soccer
Soccer
F1
F1
WNBA
WNBA
More
More
bell-icon Manage notifications