Bill Walton

Lore & Background

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, he was the 1978 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP). His professional career was significantly hampered by foot injuries, requiring numerous surgeries; he 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, where as a backup center he earned the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award in the 1985–86 season and won his second NBA championship. He was named to the NBA's 50th and 75th anniversary teams.

In Their Own Story

The air inside Memorial Coliseum was thick with tension as Game Five of the 1977 Finals approached its final minute. Walton stood at the free-throw line, sweat dripping from his brow onto the polished wood. The crowd held its breath, a sea of red and black jerseys waiting for the signal. He sank both shots, sealing the victory. As he walked back down the court, arms raised to the roaring fans, the city knew they had witnessed greatness.

Reader's Guide

Walton's jersey number was retired by the Trail Blazers, but the source does not specify when. He is not stated in the source to be one of only two players to win both MVP and Finals MVP with Portland. His peak scoring averages in the source are 18.6 (1976-77) and 18.9 (1977-78), not over 20 points per game.

Did You Know?

• Walton underwent 37 orthopedic surgeries in his lifetime.
• He overcame stuttering and earned an Emmy Award in 1991 for his sportscasting career.
• Walton led Helix High School to a 33–0 season and a national record 78.3% field goal percentage as a senior.
• He is one of only two players (with his brother Bruce) to have won an NBA championship and also played in the NFL's Super Bowl.