Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. "[10], While Walton was in high school in 1967, the NBA expansion San Diego Rockets came to town. But I will take one. Bill Walton was born on November 5, 1952. The 6'6" 205-pound wing set the NCAA record for career rebounds (2,201) that still stands today. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. After 19 years working in broadcasting, he left ESPN in November 2009, as the result of back problems, which dated back to an injury he suffered in college at UCLA. That's the best team I've ever been on, no question about that. [28][27], In the 1973 NCAA title game against Memphis State, Walton had arguably the best individual performance in an NCAA championship game, which was the first held on Monday night. According to Russian sports historian Robert Edelman, "when (the Soviets) saw who was and wasn't on the U.S. team, that's when they started feeling like they'd actually have a chance. The USA team, under coach Hal Fisher, failed to win a medal in the tournament, coming in a disappointing fifth place. Walton played wearing a back brace, as he had suffered a major back injury in a fall against Washington State the week before. In his first season with San Diego, Walton played 14 games for the Clippers in the 197980 season. In 1972-73, they were 30-0 again and won four . "He thought enough of me to make sure I was comfortable with him being on the team. ")[92][120], Walton appeared in the 1984 motion picture Ghostbusters.[85][86]. In a June 8, 2010, interview on The Dan Patrick Show, Walton admitted to contemplating suicide for a time due to the constant pain resulting from injuries sustained during his NBA career. In 87 total games, Walton averaged 20.3 points and an . Coach Gordon Nash promoted him to the varsity team the end of the season. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. [67], Overall, Walton played 90 total games for the Celtics, shooting 55.1% and averaging 7.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.3 blocks in 18 minutes. Crum first saw Walton in 1968 as a high school junior and was at first dubious when hearing of Walton, but went to scout him anyway. [48][46], In 197677 season Walton played in 65 games and, spurred by new head coach Jack Ramsay, Walton and a newly acquired ABA draftee in Maurice Lucas, the Trail Blazers became the Cinderella team of the NBA. [46], Portland finished the regular season 5824 and Walton returned for the 1978 NBA playoffs. [25][26], In his 87 career games at UCLA, Walton shot 65.1% from the field, averaging 20.3 points, 15.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists. He was undercut by a Washington State player and broke two bones in his spine, which remained damaged until corrective surgery in 2009. 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). I regret the circumstances in which I left the Portland Trail Blazers family. Bill Walton averaged 13.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. [46], Walton described doctors looking at his X-rays at the hospital after he arrived in Boston: "And then Red, he bursts in through the double doors and he's smoking his cigar in the hospital, and he walks in and says, 'Who are you guys and what are you doing with my player?' Walton is a noted fan of the Grateful Dead, as a self-described "Deadhead", and often mentions them in his broadcasts. He pumped in an NCAA championship game record 44 points as UCLA suffocated Memphis State 87-66 for its. "[13], Hall of Fame Coach Denny Crum was then an assistant coach at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), under John Wooden, sent to watch Walton play. UCLA was 864 in Walton's three seasons. Bird said that if Walton felt healthy enough to play that it was good enough for him, as opposed to Lakers GM Jerry West, who was hedging his interest in Walton pending a doctor's report. [16] His 25.0 rebounds per game in a season ranks No. Look at his feet. Thank you Red Auerbach. Walton then rode his bike to a nearby barber. He became the only player in league history to have won an NBA finals MVP, Sixth Man Award and regular season MVP. 1977 NBA Finals MVP. All rights reserved. I thought everybody had the same thing: great parents, great schools, great neighborhoods, great colleges, great coaches. By far the youngest player on the roster, Walton played minimally in five games, averaging 2.6 points. 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. 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. [60][59], The 1986 NBA playoffs were Walton's first taste of the postseason in nearly a decade, at age 33. [deleted] 10 yr. ago For the curious. Ghostbusters was filmed in 1984 and Pasch questioned Walton about his claim throughout the game as to the specifics of his appearance and character, but Walton refused to provide more details. Watch the incredible performance for yourself: The fact that Walton once scored 44 points in an NCAA tournament title game while nearly being perfect from the field completely reframes the discussion about his greatest games. Bill Walton III Position: Center 6-11 , 210lb (211cm, 95kg) School: UCLA (Men) Draft: Portland Trail Blazers, 1st round (1st pick, 1st overall), 1974 NBA draft 2x NCAA Champion 3x NCAA All-Tourney 3x NCAA All-Region 2x NCAA Tourney MOP HS Parade AA 2x AP POY 3x Consensus AA 3x Naismith Award 3x Rupp Trophy SUMMARY Career G 87 PTS 20.3 TRB 15.7 AST Walton re-fractured the navicular bone in the fourth 1979 exhibition game and subsequently missed all of the 198081 and 198182 seasons, undergoing several surgeries on his injured foot. Staying relatively healthy, Walton became an integral component of an already talented Celtics team and, in a reserve role, helped Boston win the NBA title in 1986. There were running jump hooks and short jumpers off the glass. He and his first wife, Susie, had four sons: Adam, Nathan, Luke, and Chris. I'm in charge here.' I became his worst nightmare. Then, when I was 28 I learned how to speak. [27], In the 25-team 1973 NCAA tournament, UCLA defeated Arizona State 9881 and then San Francisco in the West Regional Final 5439 to reach the Final Four. It's also available for football, hockey and baseball. Here's everything you need to know about Walton's time with the Bruins. ", Florida State coach Hugh Durham: "If you run against them, you might catch Walton away from the basket but if you slow down, he'll be there and gobble everything up. Walton joined the Boston Celtics, and they won the 1985-86 championship. Thank you people of New England. Playing as a backup center behind Robert Parish, Walton earned the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award in the 198586 season, winning his second championship that same season.[3]. [15] In addition, Walton's 825 rebounds that season ranks No 3 all-time. Andy Wittry has written for Stadium, SI.com, Sporting News, the Indianapolis Star, Louisville Courier-Journal and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 2x NBA CHAMPION. Wow. [38], In the 1974 Final Four, UCLA's record seven consecutive national titles was broken. He shot 52.1% from the floor for his career. The following series of photographs in The Daily Herald (Provo, UT) show Walton's technique of grabbing a rebound, holding the ball high over his head and throwing a two-handed overhead pass to a teammate. "[75], Said Walton reflecting on his career: "I loved basketball. 2 (2003), NBA Street V3 (2005), NBA 2K12 (2011), NBA 2K13 (2012), NBA 2K14 (2013), NBA 2K15 (2014), NBA 2K16 (2015) and NBA Jam: On Fire Edition (2011), and lent his voice to NBA 2K5 and NBA Shootout 2004. He did all that in just 33 minutes, too. He could not walk to the hospital. Walton was injured again in the 198687 regular season, but returned in time for the 1987 playoffs. He left that to David Thompson, whose N.C. State Wolfpack downed Walton in the 1974 NCAA championship, or Julius. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. [23], In the 25-team 1972 NCAA tournament, UCLA defeated Weber State 9058. Career High Seasons: 18.9 points (1977-78),. A better player. We couldn't let him dominate the game. "When that happened, he'd tell me and I'd take him out. Do you have a blog? Do you have a sports website? He said, 'Bill, I know you feel very strongly about this, but I just don't think that you getting arrested and taking part in this demonstration is what it's all about", recalled Walton. Do you have a blog? After his retirement as a player, Walton has become a successful and controversial basketball color commentator. Here is the Week 1 ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 poll, released Feb. 14. Playing with four personal fouls, Walton fell hard to the floor on a play and injured his left knee and ankle. "He was really fun to play against. 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. I think I can, Red.' Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. [4][5][6], Walton's father Ted was a music teacher and social worker and his mother Gloria, a librarian. After appearing in just 14 games in his first year with San Diego, Walton sat out the entire 198081 and 198182 seasons because of more foot problems. He is big and strong and wirey. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Look at this. [citation needed] Walton has said repeatedly in his broadcasts that he is just as much to blame for taking the medication as the doctor was for giving it to him. Shoots: Nonetheless, he was one of the greatest college basketball players in history. [52][53], Portland matched up in the 1977 NBA Finals against the favored Philadelphia 76ers. [42], In 1974, the ABA's San Diego Conquistadors tried to persuade Walton to sign with them, after drafting him in the 1974 ABA draft. He averaged 17.3 points, 12.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 4.3 blocks in the first round series against the Bulls. And Red says, 'Shut up. Walton typically was paired with Steve "Snapper" Jones for national NBA games because he and Jones had a point-counterpoint banter during games. [25], Walton was the 1973 recipient of the James E. Sullivan Award as the top amateur athlete in the United States. He earned Academic All-American honors in 1972, 1973 and 1974. Overall in 197273, Walton averaged 20.4 points and 16.9 rebounds in 30 games on 65.0% shooting, as UCLA again finished 300 (140 in the Pac-8 conference). 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. What other performance could possibly come close to that? "[12], Walton overcame all obstacles and led Helix to 49 consecutive victories in his two varsity seasons. Bill Walton is a 6-11 junior center from Helix, Calif. who is the best college basketball player ever. To fellow Deadheads, Walton is fondly known as "Grateful Red" and the "Big Red Deadhead" and "World's Tallest Deadhead". He was recruited by many colleges, but quickly accepted UCLA's scholarship offer to play basketball for the Bruins and Coach Wooden. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. I said, 'Mom, that's Big E! Coach Nash played Bill and Bruce Walton together in the paint. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? [56] Walton nonetheless won the 1978 NBA Most Valuable Player award and the Sporting News NBA MVP, as well. [69], Walton was selected to the 1972 U.S. Olympic basketball team, but declined to participate. Nate was on the ballot for the 2003 California Recall election, receiving 1,697 votes. Bill Walton was a great college player, maybe the best ever. UCLA was leading 7059 with 3 minutes remaining. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. He is also mentioned by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the 1980 comedy Airplane! Bill Walton attended Helix in La Mesa, California and UCLA. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Walton averaged 7.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.2 blocks in 19 minutes, and finished with a career-high 56.2 field goal percentage. Then I joined the NBA. Luke Walton. "Yes", said Gloria Walton, "then when the referee wasn't looking, Bruce would give the player an elbow and let him know that the skinny guy was his kid brother. He has hosted several podcasts and satellite radio programs featuring the music of the Grateful Dead. He was a good but injury-prone pro. [63], In the 1986 NBA Finals, the Celtics defeated the Houston Rockets with "Twin Towers" Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson 42 to win the NBA Championship. 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