Dead at 71.
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No way ... The man was an eccentric dude but may have been one of the best of all time had it not been for his feet problems. One tough sport to play with feet issues.
Will never forget the NCAA finals when he shot 21/22.Comment -
He dies when "The Conference of Champions" dies. Wow!Comment -
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Bill Walton was a national treasure. May he rest in peace. <a href="https://t.co/TafEYxEYaV">pic.twitter.com/TafEYxEYaV</a></p>— BaseballHistoryNut (@nut_history) <a href="https://twitter.com/nut_history/status/1795144872707416224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" >May 27, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>Comment -
R.I.P.Comment -
It was probably lung cancer from his weed, RIP to one of the best and one of the worst announcers ever.Comment -
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING: NBA Hall of Famer, Celtics legend Bill Walton dies at 71<a href="https://t.co/L3GMfoQHnX">https://t.co/L3GMfoQHnX</a></p>— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) <a href="https://twitter.com/TPostMillennial/status/1795154310084391048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" >May 27, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
RIP BILL WALTON
The world is less vibrant today.Comment -
Bill Walton dies at 71: 'Truly one of a kind' Basketball Hall of Famer succumbs to cancer
Walton was a two-time NBA champion, MVP and Hall of Famer
Getty Images
NBA legend and Hall of Famer Bill Walton, who won the 1978 MVP Award and two championships with the Portland Trail Blazers and Boston Celtics, has died at 71, the league announced on Monday.
Walton passed after a prolonged bout with cancer.
"Bill Walton was truly one of a kind.
As a Hall of Fame player, he redefined the center position," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a press release. "His unique all-around skills made him a dominant force at UCLA and led to an NBA regular-season and Finals MVP, two NBA championships and a spot on the NBA's 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams.
Bill then translated his infections enthusiasm and love for the game to broadcasting, where he delivered insightful and colorful commentary which entertained generations of basketball fans.
But what I will remember most about him was his zest for life.
He was a regular presence at league events -- always upbeat, smiling ear to ear and looking to share his wisdom and warmth. I treasured our close friendship, envied his boundless energy and admired the time he took with every person he encountered."
Walton overcame injuries to become a high school star in California, which foreshadowed how his career would turn out. From there, he went to UCLA, where he became the best player in college basketball under coach John Wooden.
Walton won the Naismith Award three times and led the Bruins to back-to-back national championships in 1972 and 1973. His 44 points in the national championship game in 1973 remain a record.
"We are stunned and saddened about the news of Bill Walton's passing," Martin Jarmond, UCLA's Director of Athletics said in a statement.
"Bill represented so many of the ideals that our university holds dear and embodied multiple traits on Coach Wooden's Pyramid of Success.
He loved being back on campus at UCLA, calling games in Pauley Pavilion, and being around our teams. We offer our deepest sympathy to his family, and we take solace in knowing that Bill made each day his masterpiece."
Following his collegiate career, he was selected No. 1 overall by the Trail Blazers in the 1974 NBA Draft. Though his talent easily translated, he dealt with a series of lower-body injuries that limited him to 86 games in his first two seasons.
Walton was finally healthy in his third season, and immediately led the Trail Blazers to their first, and only, championship in 1977, and was named Finals MVP.
The next season he won MVP despite playing just 58 games, which is still the fewest of any MVP winner, but broke his foot at the end of the regular season. He returned for the playoffs, but fractured his ankle in Game 2 of the first round and never played for the Trail Blazers again.
In fact, Walton would play just 14 games with his new team, the San Diego (later Los Angeles) Clippers, over the next four seasons due to foot problems.
He spent three more frustrating seasons with the Clippers before he was traded to the Boston Celtics.
Walton's first season in Boston was magical, as he missed just two games, won Sixth Man of the Year and helped the Celtics win the title. His presence is why the 1986 Celtics are still regarded as one of the best teams of all time.
That turned out to be Walton's last hurrah. He would play just 22 more games between the regular season and playoffs before retiring in 1988.
Walton's No. 32 was retired by the Trail Blazers in 1989. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993, and was selected to the NBA's 50th Anniversary Team in 1996 and 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.
Following his retirement, Walton became a successful broadcaster, working with CBS, NBC, ESPN and the Los Angeles Clippers before stepping away in 2009 due to back problems. A few years later, he returned to work with the Sacramento Kings on a part-time basis, then re-joined ESPN and the Pac-12 Network, where he had still been calling games this season. He won an Emmy in 2001 and was known for his entertaining, and at times incoherent, style.
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R I P Great Bill walton
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Walton played high school basketball at Helix High School in La Mesa alongside his brother Bruce, who was one year older at 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) and 250 pounds (113 kg).
Bruce was a star football player as well. If Bill Walton was getting physical treatment in a basketball game, Bruce returned the treatment.
"When those opposing teams would try to get physical with me, Bruce would do whatever it took to protect me", Walton recalled.
"He went on to play for the Dallas Cowboys. Bruce and I are the only brother combination in history to ever play in the Super Bowl and to win the NBA championship.
"When they would begin to rough up Bill, I would look at coach and he would give me a nod", recalled Bruce. "Yes", said Gloria Walton, "then when the referee wasn't looking, Bruce would give the player an elbow and let him know that the skinny guy was his kid brother."[
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While Walton was in high school in 1967, the NBA expansion San Diego Rockets came to town.
The Rockets had no set practice facility and would often play pick-up games at Helix High School.
Rocket players learned that to get into the Helix gym they could call the teenage Walton, who had his own gym key.
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Walton recalled Elvin Hayes calling and telling his mother, "Tell Billy, Big E is calling and we need him to open the gym tonight. I said, 'Mom, that's Big E! Give me the phone!' I was never so embarrassed in my life. Elvin and I are still close friends. All of those guys all [sic] still my friends to this very day."
"We had the best gym in San Diego and all the Rockets players wanted to go there", Walton reflected.
"They had some great teams with Elvin Hayes and Calvin Murphy and future head coaches and broadcasters such as Pat Riley, Rick Adelman, Rudy Tomjanovich, Jim Barnett, and Stu Lantz.
All these guys treated me—little Billy—like I was part of the team. They couldn't have been nicer, and I became their friend.
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Walton overcame all obstacles and led Helix to 49 consecutive victories in his two varsity seasons.
Helix won the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Championship in both 1969 and 1970, finishing 29–2 in 1968–69 and 33–0 in 1969–70.
He graduated at about 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) tall.[4] Walton averaged 29 points and 25 rebounds, as Helix finished 33–0 in his senior season.
As a senior in 1969–70, Walton made 384 of 490 shot attempts, 78.3 percent,
still the all-time national record.
In addition, Walton's 825 rebounds that season ranks No 3 all-time.
His 25.0 rebounds per game in a season ranks No. 7 all-time.
In 1970, Walton was featured in "Faces in the Crowd" in the January 26 issue of Sports Illustrated, his first national media recognition.
"It was a dream come true to be a part of a special team", Walton said. "Helix is where it all began. It was a humbling honor and privilege to be on the same squad as true legends Monroe Nash, Wilbur Strong, Phil Edwards, and Bruce Menser. I'm the luckiest guy on earth."
Hall of Fame Coach Denny Crum, then an assistant coach at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) under John Wooden, was sent to watch Walton play.
Crum first saw Walton in 1968 as a high school junior and was at first dubious when hearing of Walton, but went to scout him anyway.
"I came back and told Coach Wooden that this Walton kid was the best high school player I'd ever seen", Crum recalled.
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I saw that. I liked the guy, silly and goofy.. Only 71.. Cancer... Darn.. See ya Bill!
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I still remember him playing for the 86 Celtics. Hated him for that but he was really one of a kind. I always appreciated his crazy sense of humor as a broadcaster. He was a wordsmith unlike the world has ever seen! RIP Bill. Say hi to Jerry.Comment -
RIP, he was fun on the commentaryComment -
was a great guy , rip sir.Comment -
RIP SirComment -
RIP. Funny guy. Met him years ago at a USA Basketball event.Comment -
Good post, Jake. You do wonder about Walton's health as it tied to the San Diego Clippers. He had the fallout with Portland and then went to the Clippers. But he barely played in SD because of injury.
So many Walton stories:
1) They won the 1977 Final vs PHI. Largely because they were more unselfish than the star-laden Sixers.
2) I feel strongly that Portland was on their way to repeat in 1978. Blazers were 50-12 when the first big injury hit.
3) Core of the team was young. They were going to be tough to beat. WASH/SEA benefited from the Walton injury.Where's the fuckin power box, Carol?Comment -
Yes, Madison. Ton of surgeries.
He talked about the rehab and the return to the court. Before he signed with Boston, he had almost been forgotten about. He had missed so many games, it's as if he was already semi-retired.
*In 1986 it's too bad that the Lakers got upset by HOU. BOS/LAK would have been an all-time Final. Boston's best team (arguably) with a healthy Walton winning 6th Man of the Year.
*Bias is drafted in 1986. Just days after the Celts won the title.
*In 1987 Walton is again mostly shot. He wasn't nearly as effective. Could only play in stretches. And of course, Bias was gone. It's like they lost two players when Lenny should have been the rising star.Where's the fuckin power box, Carol?Comment -
Just shows how short life is also it seems he was a good man.Comment -
Gone too soon!
R.I.P.Comment -
^
Somebody said (or wrote) I forgot who, that it was like Bias had some sort of death wish.
I don't know about all that, but I was devastated.
Back on topic, I loved reading about how John Wooden used to bail out Walton from whatever jail held Walton overnight, mainly for minor shit like smoking weed or protesting Viet Nam, whatever.
I neither liked nor disliked Walton, he was a fun listen because you never knew what was going to fly out of his mouth next.
He was never phony, the real deal, and stayed completely true to his convictions.
For that I give him much respect.Comment -
Any human who can leave a lasting impression on people in a good, decent and kind way, I define as a great person in my mind.
Yeah, he was annoying, sometimes a little out there, but he gave much more than he took IMO.
And like the bold I highlighted above, when I see that in someone, I consider it special.
His talent was amazing. His humanity real and his heart genuine. People like that just leave me a little bit better
And for that, I too give him much respect.Comment
