Basketball Hall of Famer Bill Walton has passed away at the age of 71 following a prolonged battle with cancer his family announced Monday.
Walton, who rose to fame with the dynastic UCLA Bruins in the 1970’s, passed away surrounded by his family on Monday morning. NBA commissioner Adam Silver released a prepared statement on behalf of the league following news of his passing.
“Bill Walton was truly one of a kind. As a Hall of Fame player, he redefined the center position. 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 infectious enthusiasm and love for the game to broadcasting, where he delivered insightful and colorful commentary which entertained generations of basketball fans.”
“What I will remember most about him was his zest for life,” Silver continued. “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.”
“As a cherished member of the NBA family for 50 years, Bill will be deeply missed by all those who came to know and love him.”
The 1st overall selection of the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1974 NBA draft, Walton redefined the centre position en route to winning two championships in 1977 and 1986. In addition to his two collegiate and professional titles, the 6’11” big man also earned a Finals MVP, league MVP, 6th man of the year award, 2x All-Star selections, 2x All-NBA 1st Team Defence selections, 2x All-NBA selections, and had his number 32 retired by the Trail Blazers.
Over the course of his 468 game career, Walton averaged 13.3pts/10.5reb/3.4ast per game while shooting 52.1% from the field. Were it not for a series of debilitating injuries, Walton may very well have gone down as one of the best to ever play the position. Lower body injuries cost him 4 full seasons (1978-79, 1980-81, 1981-82, and 1987-88) and large portions of several others.
Only 3 times throughout his NBA career, a period of time that spanned from 1974-1988, was Walton able to play in 60 or more games. And in 4 of those years he was limited to 35 games or fewer.
As the injuries accumulated, Walton transitioned to a career in broadcasting where he served as one of the games most believed analysts with ESPN, ABC, NBC and CBS. So much so, that in 2009 he was named one of the 50 greatest sports broadcasters of all time by the American Sportscasts Association.
Walton was revered for his laid back personality, and penchant for showing up unannounced at sporting and musical events across the country.
One of the most endearing personalities the sport of basketball has ever seen, Walton will be sorely missed by the basketball community.
Photo: Erik Drost. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.