Remembering NBA Legend Bill Walton

Russell: Today we are going to talk about the life and death of Bill Walton: William Theodore Walton III, American pro basketball player. He played college basketball for UCLA, got two championships. He was also part of their 88-game winning streak, and a tremendous sportscaster. He was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in 1974: the No. 1 pick.

He got two NBA Championship rings: one with Portland (1977) and one with Boston (1986).

John: I remember Bill Walton not only for the championships he won with Portland and Boston and UCLA. There was also that dunk that Dr. J [Julius Erving] of the Philadelphia 76ers did on him in the ’77 finals. Bill Walton got the last laugh in Game 6; Portland ended up winning

109-107, because bonehead Head Coach Gene Shue decided that George McGinniss would take the last shot and not Dr. J.

In his early years, he had a huge problem with his stuttering -- he could not get words out to save his life, so his biggest achievement besides winning championships was, he was able to overcome this stuttering problem. And he was able to be an excellent broadcaster with a colorful personality. He made the world a more fun place. I wish there were more broadcasters like him.

William: I have to agree with John on that one. He did overcome a lot. That's hard for a lot of people to do, especially if they have problems like visual impairment or speech impediments. And he went on to even become a sports- caster; he gets my respect for that. He made it through an awful lot and played a lot of really great basketball.

Allen: I’d like to review some of his stats from 1986 to 1987. He played with Boston and scored 2.8 points per game, 3.1 rebounds;. 0.9 assists and 38.5 free throws; those are pretty good stats. Not only that, but Bill Walton was one of the best all-around players: rebounds, free throws, assists and points.

Russell: What I like about Bill Walton was, he beat my boys – the 76ers. He was a great player. Too bad his career was cut short by foot injuries.

John: Bill Walton wore the best uniform in the NBA at the time. Outside of the 76ers, the Trail Blazers had some of the best-looking uniforms in the league, especially after they won the championship in ’77, that cool spandex look. You’re gonna be missed. You were always a very awesome guy.

William: He's a real inspiration to everybody who has to struggle because he had it pretty tough and became a star. I'm gonna miss him too. May he rest in peace.

Allen: He wasn’t just a basketball player. He was known as being a hippie and a biker. He became a star, a great basketball player and an inspiration to his teammates.

Russell: We’re gonna wrap it up by saying Rest In Peace, Bill. You will be missed.

Any comments, suggestions or topic ideas for the SportsWise team? Email StreetWise Editor Suzanne Hanney at suzannestreetwise@yahoo.com

compiled by Suzanne Hanney