He originally joined ESPN in 2002 as a lead analyst for ESPN and ABC's NBA coverage. Thank you Boston Celtics. That's why I have the utmost respect for Bill Walton and that's the main reason why he was my inductee into the Hall of Fame. Walton's injuries and surgeries limited his career, and counting his 19781979 year-long holdout, Walton played in 44% of the regular season games in his 13-year career. The Clippers never finished near .500 or made the playoffs in his tenure with the franchise. Find out more. And they're saying, 'Red, come here. "Maurice was so important in my life and in little Luke's life", Walton said. Walton was inducted into the National High School Sports Hall of Fame in 1997. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? 13 on USA Today's list of the greatest NCAA tournament games of all time. He shot 52.1% from the floor for his career. When you're right there and it's there for you and the whole world is watching, and it's recorded as history that can never be changed, that is a terribly heavy burden. We present them here for purely educational purposes. I'm lying on the table there in the doctors examining room. I've got a new knee. 2x NBA ALL-STAR. I've never seen a player so dominating as Walton. In addition, during his first two years, Walton badly sprained an ankle, broke his left wrist twice, dislocated two toes, dislocated two fingers, broke a toe and injured his leg in a jeep accident. When the Walton children were in junior high and high school, Mr. Walton formed an informal family band: Bruce and Bill played trombone or baritone, Andy played the saxophone, and Cathy played the flute. After his retirement as a player, Walton has become a successful and controversial basketball color commentator. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 6:40AM. I drove the poor guy to an early grave when he was 99. "Injuries [he missed games with a bad back]. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. "He went on to play for the Dallas Cowboys. Walton signed with the Trail Blazers. I'm the lucky one, in that I never thought going through all of it that I would be healthy at the end. I'll never be able to wash that off, and I carry it with me forever. He could not walk to the hospital. But to win, we also felt we had to control Walton. I think I can, Red.' Thank you Larry Bird. We had a bitter argument over that, and I lost that argument, too", said Walton, who took only three shots as UCLA had a 7861 win. Walton eventually signed with the San Diego Clippers when he became a free agent in 1979. [10], During his sophomore year of high school (age 1516), Walton grew from 6ft 1in (1.85m) to 6ft 7in (2.01m). After having received a painkilling injection to play, X-rays taken after Game 2 revealed the navicular bone below Walton's left ankle was broken. Walton played significantly less healthy seasons, but in those seasons, he practically guarantees your team a title as long as he has a decent supporting cast (in the mold of a Prime Shaq, Jordan, Duncan, LeBron, etc.) Thank you Celtic nation. [25][26], UCLA again finished 300 overall and 140 in the Pac-8 conference in 197273. School: UCLAPosition: CenterHeight: 6-11Weight: 210 poundsYears active: 1971-74NCAA tournament record: 11-1College averages: 20.3 points per game, 15.7 rebounds per game, 65.1% field goal shooting. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Walton played in his only NBA All-Star Game in 1978 and was named to both the NBA's First All-Defensive Team and the All-NBA First Team. His saga of injury and failed rehabs was connected to the use of painkillers by the doctor who was assigned to his case. Alternate titles: William Theodore Walton III. "[36], UCLA finished 264 and 122 in the Pac 8 Conference, with Walton playing alongside Keith Wilkes, David Myers, and Marques Johnson. He was recruited by many colleges, but quickly accepted UCLA's scholarship offer to play basketball for the Bruins and Coach Wooden. Following his retirement, he became an outspoken analyst on NBA television broadcasts. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. The Trail Blazers with Geoff Petrie, Sidney Wicks, and LaRue Martin finished 3844 under player/coach Lenny Wilkens. "[59], In his first time in a Celtics uniform in the Boston Garden, Walton received one-minute standing ovation from the Boston home crowd walking onto the court for his first exhibition game in 1985. Twitter: [101], Adam Walton played at Louisiana State University, Pomona College and the College of Notre Dame in Belmont, California. His commentary has been noted for his frequent use of catchphrases and hyperbole. After retiring from the NBA, Walton overcame stuttering and embarked on a second career as a sportscaster, working both as a studio analyst and color commentator with stints for several networks and teams. [83], While broadcasting a game between the Oregon Ducks and USC Trojans, Walton talked about a speech Bob Dylan gave at MusiCares, and ESPN had prepared graphics about Dylan's career highlights. His listed adult playing height was 6ft 11in (2.11m); it has been reported that Walton is actually taller (7ft 2in (2.18m) or more), but does not like being categorized as a seven-footer. I ground my body up. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Bill was unable to play a complete game without resting. [19], Beginning in elementary and high school, Walton had loyally followed UCLA's basketball team on the radio. San Diego had also signed Wilt Chamberlain as a player-coach as further incentive. [69], Walton was selected to the 1972 U.S. Olympic basketball team, but declined to participate. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. CAN'T MISS: Find out which March Madness Moment was voted the greatest of all time. In the locker room after the 1973 Championship game, Coach Wooden introduced Walton to representatives of the ABA, who hoped to convince him to turn pro. So we had no real idea how fragile everything was. In April 2019, Luke Walton was named head coach of the Sacramento Kings. His NBA years : from 1975 to 1987 Bill Walton NBA Stats Summary : Walton led UCLA in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage for three consecutive years: No sophomore, junior or senior in UCLA history has averaged more rebounds per game, respectively, than when Walton was a sophomore, junior and senior. To fellow Deadheads, Walton is fondly known as "Grateful Red" and the "Big Red Deadhead" and "World's Tallest Deadhead". On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. us, High School: "[75], Said Walton reflecting on his career: "I loved basketball. He averaged 18.6 points, 14.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 3.2 blocks and Portland finished 4933. He played in 55 games in 198384, and a then-career-high 67 in 198485, by which time the Clippers had relocated to Los Angeles. "I was a skinny, scrawny guy. This article was most recently revised and updated by, The 10 Greatest Basketball Players of All Time, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bill-Walton, ESPN Classic - Walton weathered injuries to win titles, Bill Walton - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Walton joined the Boston Celtics, and they won the 1985-86 championship. Walton typically was paired with Steve "Snapper" Jones for national NBA games because he and Jones had a point-counterpoint banter during games. Bill Walton, a three-time National Player of the Year and a key member in UCLA's dynasty under John Wooden, was one of the greatest men's college basketball players ever. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. Bill Walton Playoffs Game Log. They couldn't have been nicer, and I became their friend. Bill Walton Returns to ESPN College Basketball Airwaves Having starred at UCLA as a player, Bill Walton is synonymous with being on the call for games involving Pac-12 Conference teams. To not be able to play was a crushing blow to him. Or, as Walton himself would call it, "The Conference of Champions." inLa Mesa,California Born: November 5, 1952 in La Mesa, California us Relatives: Son Luke Walton. Walton also received the USBWA College Player of the Year and Naismith College Player of the Year as the top college basketball player in 1972, 1973, and 1974. "When that happened, he'd tell me and I'd take him out. "I wish we had NBA basketball here, and we don't because of me. I don't think anyone can get in a run-and-shoot contest with them and win not us, not the Boston Celtics, not anyone. "[36], In 2009, Walton underwent an eight-hour spinal-fusion surgery. North Carolina State defeated the Bruins 8077 in double overtime in the NCAA semi-finals. 7 Arizona, Indiana outruns Purdue, UNC and Florida State earn stunning wins and more from a men's hoops Saturday, How two HBCUs won an NCAA tournament game in the same year for the first time, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, 1971-72: 21.1 points, 15.5 rebounds, 63.9% field goal shooting, 1972-73: 20.4 points, 16.9 rebounds, 65.0% field goal shooting, 1973-74: 19.3 points, 14.7 rebounds, 66.5% field goal shooting, One of the top 15 players honored in th e75 Years of March Madness Celebration, The most points scored in an NCAA tournament championship game: 44 points (1973), The most field goals in an NCAA tournament championship game: 21 (1973), UCLA's all-time leader in career rebounds: 1,370 rebounds, UCLA's all-time leader in career rebounds per game (min. Right, Born: And Red pushes his way through all the doctors, comes over. Walton recalled Elvin Hayes calling and telling his mother, "Tell Billy, Big E is calling and we need him to open the gym tonight. It's become my greatest accomplishment of my life and everybody else's biggest nightmare."[79]. [67][68] He attempted a comeback in February 1990, but injuries intervened and he retired as a player. (Bill Walton had attended Stanford Law School for two years while with the Clippers, but never graduated.) "[76], Overall, Walton played 468 games in his NBA career. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. With Walton playing alongside Henry Bibby, Larry Farmer, Wilkes, Lee, and Swen Nater, UCLA finished 140 in the Pac 8 Conference. Throughout his career, nagging injuries continually slowed Walton. [60][59], The 1986 NBA playoffs were Walton's first taste of the postseason in nearly a decade, at age 33. 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