Bill Walton
Hall of Fame center who led the Trail Blazers to their only NBA championship and later became an Emmy-winning sportscaster.
William Theodore Walton III (November 5, 1952 – May 27, 2024) was an American basketball player and television sportscaster. He played collegiately for the UCLA Bruins and professionally in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Portland Trail Blazers, San Diego / Los Angeles Clippers, and Boston Celtics. He is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.
Quick Facts
- Role
- Center
- Draft year
- 1974
- Championship year
- 1977
- Jersey number
- 32
- Status
- Hall of Famer
Lore & Background
Walton rose to prominence in the early 1970s as UCLA's starting center for coach John Wooden. The 6 ft 11 in Walton won three consecutive national college player of the year awards (1972–1974), while leading UCLA to NCAA championships in 1972 and 1973 and an 88-game winning streak. After being selected as the first overall pick in the 1974 NBA draft, Walton led the Portland Trail Blazers to the team's first and only NBA championship in 1977, earning the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award. The following season, Walton was the 1978 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP). Walton's professional career, however, was significantly hampered by foot injuries, requiring numerous surgeries (Walton underwent 37 orthopedic surgeries in his lifetime). As a result, Walton only played in 468 out of 1,148 possible regular season games across his 14-year NBA career. After his MVP season, Walton sat out the 1978–79 season and was then signed by the Clippers, for whom he played four injury-plagued seasons. His career was rehabilitated during two seasons with the Celtics at the end of his career. Playing as a backup center behind Robert Parish, Walton earned the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award in the 1985–86 season and contributed significantly to the Celtics' playoff run that year, culminating in his second NBA championship. He was named to the NBA's 50th and 75th anniversary teams. 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 several networks and teams. He earned an Emmy Award in 1991.
Reader's Guide
Walton was born and raised in La Mesa, California, a suburb of San Diego. He played high school basketball at Helix High School in La Mesa alongside his older brother Bruce. Walton led Helix to 49 consecutive victories in his two varsity seasons, winning the CIF Championship in both 1969 and 1970. He graduated at about 6 ft 11 in tall. Walton averaged 29 points and 25 rebounds as a senior. He played collegiately for UCLA under Coach John Wooden from 1971 to 1974, leading the Bruins to two consecutive 30–0 seasons and NCAA championships in 1972 and 1973.
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