“Remembering Bill Walton”
One of the more unique NBA players and broadcasters of our lifetime, whose
personality was very vibrant and cultural. Bill Walton, NBA Hall of Famer and two
time champion passed away at the age of 71. After a long bout with cancer, you
could never tell Walton’s cadences were affected. A player who had a very strong
case for greatest basketball player of all-time; dating back to high school into his
glory days at UCLA, Walton rarely lost any games.
Walton played in an era post Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlin, the two titans who
clashed in the better part of 1960s and early 1970s NBA. Walton was selected first
overall by the Portland Trailblazers in 1974; delivered a title three seasons later,
while winning Finals MVP, league MVP, First and Second Team All-Defense. But
chronic foot injuries derailed his prime and forced him as a journeyman. It wasn’t
until he arrived in Boston in the summer of 1985-86, which he became the sixth
man for one of the greatest teams ever assembled in NBA history.
Walton was a key player in that title run, which had future Hall of Famers Larry
Bird, Kevin McHale, Dennis Johnson, Robert Parrish, and Tiny Archibald. For Bill
to adjust to this new role and contribute to help the Celtics finish 67-15 while
avoiding coastal rival Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals. This was new territory for
Walton, as he tasted postseason success since 1977. Being a part of a great team
and helping Boston win their final title during the 1980s was special; one he didn’t
take for granted.
Post NBA career, Walton made the transition to broadcasting and became a force.
Combining culture with sports made him standout from NBA players transitioning to the booth. His unique way of captivating audiences with music references made
most of us who grew up wanting to emulate his cadences. Walton’s love for the
California lifestyle and connecting with wildlife is one most guys won’t dare to
trek. A huge fan of legendary rock band Grateful Dead, he elaborated how many
times he’d seen them live. Walton was truly a gem to sports and humanistic
personalities athletes tend to guard themselves from.
Walton’s broadcasting career in the PAC-12 Conference was very well received.
Playing for UCLA and commentating multiple games, he became integrated with
all the fans. Even the younger generations who didn’t get to see him play got a
glimpse of how unique his personality was. Walking into different venues, fans
would cheer and welcome a guy whose personality was genuine. He was a living
legend in his own right and stayed close to basketball for many years. Rather it was
commentating NBA or college, we learned something about him every single time.
Upon the news of his passing, NBA legends posted heartfelt tributes to a guy they
competed against and kept in contact with over the years. Walton was beloved by
everyone and the outpour of love and condolences to his family. He attended as
many NBA events as possible possible to stay updated with current players. Being
named to the 50 th and 75 th Anniversary Honors. He was the same guy who smiled
from ear to ear and had plenty of stories to share. Rather it was his childhood
growing up and being raised in a musical household to outlandish moments
rocking with Grateful Dead, Walton could make all of us laugh in seconds.
The NBA community lost a genuine man and player whose career was nearly over
with injuries. Finding a greater purpose in accepting a sixth man role in recapturing
his love for basketball. Bill Walton is the example of resilience and overcoming the obstacles of advancing your career.
As fans of young and old remember him,Walton was a rare personality and embraced being true to himself. From all of us here at The Gryd Network, we send our sincere condolences and heartfelt prayers to the Walton Family. Thank you Bill Walton for the entertaining broadcasts and retrospect of life through a different optic.
