Basketball Hall of Famer Bill Walton dies at 71.
The NBA said on Monday that Bill Walton, a two-time NBA champion and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, has gone away after a protracted fight with cancer.
Walton’s relatives stated that he passed away surrounded by his loved ones. Sons Adam, Nate, Chris, and Luke (a former NBA player who is currently a coach) survive him along with his wife Lori.
“Bill Walton was a unique individual. “He redefined the center position as a Hall of Fame player,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement.
Walton was a legendary player both on and off the court. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993. His NBA career only lasted 468 games with Portland, the San Diego Padres, and finally the Los Angeles Clippers and Boston due to persistent foot issues. In those games, he averaged 13.3 points and 10.5 rebounds, neither of which was particularly high.
His most well-known performance came in the 1973 NCAA championship game between UCLA and Memphis, as he shot an amazing 21 for 22 from the field to help the Bruins win another national championship.
For a 35th anniversary perspective on that game, Wooden told The Associated Press in 2008, “One of my guards said, ‘Let’s try something else.”
During that brief pause, Wooden’s response was, “Why? Don’t fix something if it ain’t broke.”
Walton continued to put on a show for the ages as they continued to pass him the ball.
UCLA coach Mick Cronin stated on Monday, “It’s very hard to put into words what he has meant to UCLA’s program, as well as his tremendous impact on college basketball.” “His larger-than-life demeanor has been characterized by his unrelenting candor, persistent energy, and excitement for the game, in addition to his outstanding successes as a player.
He was a devoted UCLA alumnus and broadcaster who enjoyed spending time with our athletes, learning about their lives, and offering guidance and insight. He was nice, honest, and always had the correct intentions, in my opinion as a coach. He will be sorely missed. It’s difficult to envision Pauley Pavilion throughout a season without him.”
The 6-foot-11 Walton, selected first overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1974 NBA draft, spent ten seasons in the league, winning titles with both the Blazers (1977) and the Boston Celtics (1986). Over his career, he recorded 6,215 points (13.3 per game), 4,923 rebounds (10.5 per game), 1,034 blocks (2.2 per game), and 1,590 assists, all of which contributed to his double-double average.
He was a two-time All-Star who finished first in the NBA in blocks and rebounds in 1977. In 1986, he was named Sixth Man of the Year.
Walton moved to broadcasting after his NBA career, entertaining countless basketball fans.
Walton began working for ESPN in 2002 as a key commentator covering NBA games. In 2012, he transitioned to covering college basketball. In 2009, the American Sportscasters Association listed him among the 50 greatest sportscasters of all time. Walton won an Emmy in the past.
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“Having red hair, a large nose, freckles, a funny, nerdy-looking face, and being completely speechless in life might be extremely self-conscious. I never uttered a thing because I was so shy,” Walton said in an interview with The Oregonian in 2017. Then, at the age of 28, I picked up speech. It’s now both everyone else’s worst fear and my greatest achievement in life.”
That last bit was just hyperbole from Walton. His on-air digressions won him a lot of fans.
As a major fan of the band, Walton frequently mentioned them on the show and even recorded satellite radio specials honoring what it meant to be a “Deadhead.” He occasionally appeared on the show wearing Grateful Dead t-shirts.
And another of his many favorites was the Pac-12 Conference, which has now all but vanished due to collegiate realignment. He liked it to the very end and called it the “Conference of Champions” every time.
He once declared, “It doesn’t get any better than this,” while wearing a tie-dyed T-shirt and a Hawaiian lei around his neck during a broadcast.
“What I will remember most about him was his zest for life,” Silver stated. “He was a frequent sight at league functions; he was always cheerful, grin-filled, and eager to impart his warmth and wisdom. I loved our close friendship, was envious of his endless energy, and appreciated the time he spent to get to know everyone.”