The toll of injuries forced Larry Bird to retire in 1992

But Bird's legend went far beyond these accolades and qualities. Just as legendary as his skills and trash-talking was his ...
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From $60,000 to $59 million: A deeper look at the NBA salaries explosion over the years

In the NBA's 25th season (1970-1971), superstars like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar became one of the highest-paid players in the league, receiving a salary of $250,000. This was much higher than the league ...