Chet Walker

Hall of Fame forward who never missed a playoff game and helped the 76ers to a historic 1967 title.

Chester Walker (February 22, 1940 – June 8, 2024) was an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and was selected in 2012 to become a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He was a seven-time NBA All-Star. He played 13 seasons in the NBA, seven with the Philadelphia 76ers, and he helped lead the 76ers to an NBA championship in 1967, on a team that has been considered among the best in NBA history. He played his last six seasons for the Chicago Bulls from 1969 to 1975, helping the team reach the playoffs every season he played for Chicago; eventually becoming an inaugural member of the Bulls' Ring of Honor. Walker's teams made the playoffs every season of his career, and he never missed a playoff game; and never missed more than six games during any regular season of his NBA career (playing in over 1,000 games).

Quick Facts

Born: 22 February 1940
Birthplace: Bethlehem, Mississippi, U.S.
Died: 8 June 2024
Place of death: Long Beach, California, U.S.
High school: Benton Harbor (Benton Harbor, Michigan)
College: Bradley (1959–1962)
Draft round: 2
Draft pick: 12

Lore & Background

Walker played college basketball for the Bradley Braves, twice earning first-team consensus All-American honors, after being named a second-team All-American as a sophomore. Walker was famously 'hijacked' by disc jockey Al Benson to attend Bradley, keeping him from attending the University of Nebraska instead. Walker played on the Bradley team that won the 1960 National Invitation Tournament. He became known as 'Chet the Jet' at Bradley. Walker also won an Emmy award as a television producer.

Reader's Guide

Walker was born in Bethlehem, Mississippi on February 22, 1940, the youngest of John and Regina Walker's ten children, four of whom died before age 10. He lived and worked on the family's small cotton farm, until his mother moved with her youngest children to Benton Harbor, Michigan after the death of Walker's sister and to escape his abusive father. Walker played high school basketball for the Benton Harbor High School boys basketball team, under coach Don Farnum.

Walker was selected All-State twice in basketball. As a senior, his team was runner up for the 1958 Class A Michigan high school championship, losing to Detroit's Austin Catholic Preparatory School which was led by future fellow NBA Hall of Fame player Dave DeBusschere. In September of 1965, Benton Harbor held a Chet Walker Day, with an appreciation from Governor George Romney read that day. Walker earned a scholarship to Bradley University, where he was a two-time consensus All-America in 1961 and 1962.

However, prior to attending Bradley in Peoria, Illinois, he and his mother had agreed Walker would attend the University of Nebraska. In one version of events, disc jockey Al Benson went to Walker's home and agreed to take Walker to the airport in Chicago to head to Nebraska. Instead, Benson brought Walker to Bradley's head coach and athletic director, who flew Walker to Peoria where Walker committed to attending Bradley. During his three-year career at Bradley, playing in the Missouri Valley Conference, Walker averaged 24.4 points and 12.8 rebounds per game.

Walker's speed and agility on the court earned him the nickname 'Chet the Jet' (a name that stayed with him through his NBA career). As a sophomore (1959–60), Walker led the team in both scoring (21.8 points per game) and rebounding (13.4 rebounds per game); for a Bradley team that had a 27–2 record. Walker finished in the top-3 Missouri Valley Conference players in total points, points per game, total rebounds, rebounds per game, and made free throws.

The Associated Press (AP) named Walker a second-team All American as a sophomore. He was named first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference in 1960. The AP ranked Bradley fourth nationally after the 1959–60 season. Bradley finished second in the Missouri Valley Conference to the No.

Did You Know?

Walker was drafted by the Syracuse Nationals in 1962 and followed the team when it moved to Philadelphia.
He helped lead the 1966–67 76ers to an NBA championship, a team that won 68 games, then a record.