Bill Walton, a two-time National Basketball Association (NBA) champion, Hall of Fame player and beloved broadcaster, has died at age 71, the league says.
Walton died Monday after a long battle with cancer, the NBA said.
Walton, a 6-foot-11 (211 cm) center who moved beautifully despite his height, rose to stardom in college where he was part of a dynasty at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), under coach John Wooden.
Bill Walton won National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) championships in 1972 and 1973 before establishing himself as a force early in his professional career.
Walton led the Portland Trail Blazers to a championship in 1977 and was named NBA Most Valuable Player the following year.
His most famous performance was in the 1973 NCAA title game – UCLA against Memphis – where he shot an incredible 21-for-22 from the field and led the Bruins to another national championship.
But Bill Walton’s NBA career
interrupted by a chronic foot injury — lasted just 468 games with Portland, then San Diego and finally the Los Angeles Clippers and Boston Celtics.
He averaged 13.3 points and 10.5 rebounds in those games, neither of which were record-setting numbers. Still, his influence on the game was massive.
Basketball legend Bill Walton -As a Hall of Fame player, he redefined the center position. He is unique all-around skills made him a dominant force at UCLA and led to an NBA regular-season and Finals MVP, 2 NBA championships and a spot on the NBA’s 50th and 75th anniversary teams.
One of the biggest perks of being involved in sports media for a significant portion of my life has been getting to meet and get to know some of my sports heroes.
Brooks Robinson, Johnny Unitas, Cal Ripken, they all checked the box of meeting my heroes.
One of my all-time favorite sports figures, Bill Walton, died today at the age of 70, whom I sadly never got to meet.
Doesn’t matter, really.
I’ve been associated with Bill Walton since his college basketball days at UCLA in the 1970s.
The 70s, before the Internet, before cable TV, really, definitely before ESPN.
How did I get in touch with William Theodore Walton III (Bill)?
Simple.
Through newspapers.
College basketball games were usually played the day after, especially on Wednesdays and Sundays.
I scrolled through “NCAA Men’s Basketball Scores,” alphabetically in small type, until I found UCLA, Walton’s college team.
The winning team was always on the left.
Walton and UCLA were left tackles in 88 consecutive games.
As Walton went through his life, I became more of a fan.
Bill Walton was never afraid to be Bill Walton.
Despite his seven-foot frame, Bill was never larger than life.
He made sure everyone knew it.
I especially enjoyed Bill doing color commentary on Pac-12 basketball, as he proudly proclaimed the “Conference of Champions.”
Many a winter night I stayed up late watching a Pac-12 game was courtside for the Bills.
Who’s watching Washington State battle Oregon State?
I don’t.
The Bills could make that game as exciting as a Lakers-Celtics matchup.
And he believed it.
Ironically, that bill won’t see the final death of the Pac-12 until next fall.
That’s how he wanted it, probably.
Walton was a two-time NCAA champion while at UCLA, a two-time NBA champion, a Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, an on-court icon.
Off the court, Bill reached new heights.
A fun seeker, a broadcaster who makes his own rules and prides himself on being unconventional
Although I never had the pleasure of meeting Bill Walton, I made contact with a few friends who did.
Longtime Daily Progress sports editor and writer Jerry Ratcliffe met Walton in Lynchburg in 1990 while Bill was visiting a mutual friend.
Ratcliffe said his most important memory of Walton was that he certainly didn’t have a big head, although he had every right to have a huge ego.
“He was just a great friend. I’m heartbroken,” Ratcliffe revealed.
Another friend had a different view of Walton.
Sampson was clearly a little underwhelmed when we spoke about Walton’s departure this afternoon.
“We knew Bill was not well. When he missed the Final Four this year, we all thought it was serious,” noted Ralph.
What does Sampson remember most about Walton?
“Simple, his competitiveness,” Sampson said.
During the 1986 season, in the twilight of his NBA career.
Sampson said that despite playing for several NBA teams with different approaches, Walton found a way to contribute to any coaching style.
“Bill can adapt to play basketball at any level,” Sampson noted.
Walton didn’t have to adapt to a unique style while at UCLA under legendary coach John Wooden.
No need to change the wood style.
In Walton’s career, his most famous game was the 1973 NCAA title game, UCLA against Memphis.
In that lopsided victory over the Bruins, Walton was 21-of-22 from the floor in leading UCLA to another national championship.
“One of my guards said at the deadline, let’s try something else,” Wooden said in a 2008 Associated Press interview.
Wood’s response during that timeframe: “Why? Basketball legend Bill Walton-If it ain’t broke, do not fix it.”
Wooden, wisely ignoring the wishes of the anonymous guard, continued to feed the ball to Walton, and he delivered, in a once-in-a-lifetime performance.
Although I never met Bill Walton, I did have the opportunity to visit his college basketball home, Pauley Pavilion, on UCLA’s campus.
I visited Paoli before the major renovation in 2013.
To my disbelief, Paoli Pavilion was nothing like my childhood memories.
No fancy scoreboard, no fancy architecture makes it stand out.
Definitely not larger than life.
Now that sounds familiar.