Basketball Hall of Famer Bill Walton, an all-time great champion in high school, college and the NBA, died Monday following a prolonged battle with cancer, the NBA announced.
He was 71 years old.
“Bill Walton was truly one of a kind, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “As a cherished member of the NBA family for 50 years, Bill will be deeply missed by all those who came to know and love him.”
An American original, Walton led a remarkable life on and off the court, excelling in basketball and dabbling in the counterculture scene of the late 1960s and early 1970s. He remained connected to both throughout his life as basketball player and TV analyst and lifelong fan of the Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan and Neil Young.
At 6-11, he was one of the most skilled big men to play the game. He defended, rebounded, blocked shots, passed and scored. He averaged 13.3 points, 10.5 rebounds 3.4 assists and 2.2 blocks in 10 seasons and was robbed of prime years due to foot injuries. He missed the entire 1978-79, 1980-81 and 1981-82 seasons.
Walton packed an impressive résumé into the years he played despite the debilitating injuries. Following a standout career at UCLA where he won two NCAA titles under John Wooden, one of the great influences in his life, Walton became the No. 1 pick by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1974…
