Sean Patrick Small, the actor portraying legendary Boston Celtics forward Larry Bird in the HBO “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” series very nearly did not get the role, landing the spot after actor Bo Burnham had to turn down the role due to a scheduling conflict.
The actor playing Larry Legend was recently profiled by USA TODAY’s Bryan Alexander, which saw the actor open up on how he developed the Boston great. Born in 1992, the same year Bird retired from the NBA, Small’s appreciation for Bird’s playing style and skills, particularly in shooting and passing, led him to change his shot to fit the image of The Hick From French Lick. “Now I even shoot better like Bird,” he explained.
