Former NBA star and Hall of Famer Bill Walton has died at the age of 71, the league announced today (Twitter link). According to the NBA’s release, Walton passed away surrounded by family following a “prolonged” battle with cancer.
“Bill Walton was truly one of a kind,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said as part of a longer statement. “As a Hall of Fame player, he redefined the center position. … 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. 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.”
Walton played his college ball at UCLA, winning a pair of national championships in 1972 and 1973 and earning national college player of the year honors for three straight seasons from 1972-74. He was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1974 draft and won championships with the Trail Blazers in 1977 and the Celtics in 1986, as well as an MVP award with Portland in 1978.
Walton was the NBA Finals MVP in ’77 after having led the league in both rebounds and blocked shots per game during that season. He earned an All-Star nod and made the All-Defensive First Team in both ’77 and ’78, then won the Sixth Man of the Year award in ’86.
A long list of injuries affecting his back, knees, ankles, and feet cut Walton’s career short and limited his availability when he did play. He ultimately appeared in just 468 career regular season contests – the equivalent of fewer than six 82-game seasons – for the Blazers, Clippers, and Celtics, averaging 13.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 2.2 blocks in 28.3 minutes per night.
Walton was named to the NBA’s 50th anniversary and 75th anniversary teams honoring the best players in league history.
Following his playing career, Walton was an NBA and NCAA color commentator for several networks, including CBS, NBC, and ABC/ESPN. His son Luke Walton also played in the NBA and has since gone into coaching — Luke spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach with the Cavaliers.
Our condolences go out to Bill’s family and friends.
That’s rough. Loved Bill. RIP.
Damn I’m shocked RIP BIG RED
RIP, legend.
RIP Mr Walton
UCLA
Bill Walton and Kareem Abdul Jabbar
What types of cancer did Walton have?
Walton is a happy guy.
Prostate cancer
What are you.
Always enjoyed listening to him, you could feel his love for life and the game.
Sorry to see you go Bill.
Fantastic player ! One of the greats ! RIP
This is very sad. Loved watching him win a championship with Boston. RIP Bill
RIP Big guy
I have to relay this little story. I had a co-worker at the grocery store where Walton was an occasional customer in San Diego. On one visit my buddy asked Big Bill for an autograph but he was in a little hurry so said he couldn’t right then. No problem.
About a week later this little Asian lady comes into the store, finds my buddy and hands him a manila folder with four or five items. Several pictures and a couple of basketball cards signed by Walton. Pretty amazing.
Just the fact that he remembered some random guy in a grocery store asking for an autograph and sent his wife several days later with a few things. Goes to show the kind of guy he was.
Rest in peace Bill Walton.
Tremendous player, insightful broadcaster and from all accounts, a truly caring, giving soul. Your anecdote only reinforces everything I’ve heard. Thanks
RIP.
I have a similar story about Bill. I was working at a golf tournament as a bartender where he, Danny Ainge, Michael Jordan and Detlef Schremph were playing. They all got a table with several other people I didn’t recognize. I met a lot of celebrities there and although it was very tempting in this case I always made it a point not ask for autographs as they were there to get away from that kind of stuff. One of the cocktail servers knew I was a huge basketball nerd so she unbeknownst to me asked for their autographs as they were leaving. Ainge, Schremph and Walton all went the bar and gave me $100 bills as a tip, chatted with me for a few minutes and autographed a napkin as that’s really all I had for them to sign. All three were some of the nicest celebrities I ever met and Walton just had this huge smile on his face the entire time they were there.
“A picture is worth a thousand words” has never rung truer. Thanks for sharing this.
Lot of icons of basketball passing away in a small window. Shame. Big loss for their families and the game as a whole.
I sat and talked with Bill three or four times and shot playground baskets with him in Wallace Park before training camp in 1974. He was always pleasant, always smiling. When Bill Schonely helped him overcome his severe stuttering the world became filled with hyperbole and noisier and it could make you crazy. But now it’ll be a too quiet place. Too quiet.
Wallace Park in Portland? Is that the place that the park that has two full courts for basketball but the two Sidelines don’t parallel each other but overlap each other?
I played there a few years ago on a beautiful Sunday afternoon and the ball was excellent. Very competitive and I still have a scar on my chin from getting hammered by a guy as I went to the hole. Good times.
The same although I haven’t been by the place in many, many years. Even in Wallace Park Walton made others better if just from his smile.
…damn. i checked in and saw this and immediately recoiled. I don’t have enough to say right now, but what I can say now is this was a guy that always had a smile on his face, not even talking about how great of a basketball player he was. I feel like I saw him on TV somewhere relatively recently…time has been cruel
RIP Grateful Red. Say hi to Jerry for us.
If not for injuries he be in the discussion w Wilt, Russell and Kareem. Still the best passing big men I’ve ever seen.
One of a kind that’s totally true. But he was his own kind, Nobody else’s. I graduated HS in 74 and those UCLA teams were legendary. Too bad they don’t play the game like that anymore. It’s a shame. R.I.P.
Job well done… #RIH
“He was named national player of the year in each of his three seasons at UCLA as the Bruins went a combined 86-4. Playing for legendary coach John Wooden, Walton powered the Bruins to consecutive 30-0 seasons in 1972 and 1973.”
Came in after Lew Alcindors great run. And many thought he was a better prospect.
RIP Bill …. your love for the game came thru. Thanks for making it fun.
Cut and pasted from another article… Man, TALK about “another era…” What a team!!!
In 1985, Walton was traded to the Boston Celtics. He played a career-high 80 games during the 1985-86 season and won another NBA championship and Sixth Man of the Year honors for a team with Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish.
Great player but an even better human. RIP
He’s up with Jerry now with the angels
Rest in glory big Bill
RIP Walton
RIP Bill, never stop smiling.
Loved watching him play in Portland before his ankle injuries forced him to not have full seasons! He was a super athlete, lethal rebounder, and ran the floor! He was mostly a ‘hippi’ during the 1970’s, with his big flaming red hair!
So, so sad…
Some of us had a bad feeling when Bill missed his scheduled appearance for the Arizona @ UCLA Pac-12 men’s basketball game on March 7th. Especially since it was the last conference game between these two rivals before the Pac-12’s desition. Bill loved both, UCLA (his alma mater) as well as Arizona (Luke’s alma mater), and wouldn’t have missed that game for anything in the world.
I remember Bill and Dave Pasch working at an Arizona Wildcats basketball game in Tucson in 2015, when Pasch asked Bill what he thought about that much-hyped superstar freshman Ben Simmons at LSU. Bill scoffed and said something like: “I don’t know whether he’s good, I haven’t seen him play.” Pasch, stunned: “How can you have missed seeing him?!” And Bill, nonchalantly: “All they’ve showed of him was dunks. And dunks are the easiest thing in basketball. Just because you can dunk doesn’t mean that you’re s good basketball player.”
On Saturday night the Pac-12 held its last contest with the conference baseball tournament final between Arizona and USC. Bill and his beloved Conference of Champions (a record 561 NCAA titles, over 200 more than the next best) passed away at the same weekend. What a sad, sad moment in American sports history.
R.I.P., Bill.
What a life. What a 30 for 30 about you. Thank you and rest in peace, Bill.
RIP Legend