RIP: Bill Walton (1952-2024)

az jam

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I remember the Walton Gang at UCLA. One of the best teams and college players ever. Battled lots of injuries in his pro career but still won two NBA championships. Sad to see him die so young. RIP Bill Walton!!
 

Superbone

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My condolences to his fans, friends, and family. He was a heck of a basketball player with a ton of success with UCLA, Portland, and Boston. In addition to that, he was THE GREATEST BASKETBALL COLOR COMMENTATOR IN THE HISTORY OF THE NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION!!! RIP.
 

Raindog

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Sad to hear. One of the all time greatest college basketball players, without question. And a darn entertaining basketball analyst.
 

Phrazbit

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When he first started announcing I couldn't stand him, the rambling and the over the top hyperbole, but he really grew on me, became one of my absolute favorites. The rambling usually had a moral to the story that would somehow relate to basketball and the hyperbole was just hilarious. You could tell he loved the game.

:Third quarter of a random regular season game, Sam Cassell isn't looking as Elton Brand throws a pass to him and it goes out of bounds:

A revolted Bill Walton: "That was the worst inbounds pass in the history of Los Angeles Clippers basketball".

RIP Bill
 

Brian in Mesa

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Wife and I once saw him sitting at a table at Westridge Mall in Phoenix and there was one of the longest lines we had ever seen snaking throughout most of the mall to get Bill to autograph items. The cost? $75.

RIP.
 

Cheesebeef

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Loved Walton since the end of a Lakers-Blazers, 82nd game of the season, which was coming down to the buzzer and the Lakers were up 99-97. But on the second to last play, the Blazers turned the ball over and Walton uncorked this gem in response:

“This has been the WORST offensive performance in the HISTORY of the… N… B… A.” Drawing out that list bit like he realized how ridiculous that claim was in a 99-97 game, almost as if he was teasing the audience and himself if he was really going to go to that ludicrous extent.

Like… drew it out long enough for me and all my friends to look at each other while he was slowly saying it, incredulous, begging him to finish the most hyperbolic thing ever said in the history of NBC.

It was beautiful and so was he as a person. Might be going down the road feeling bad tonight, but I look forward to celebrating his legacy this weekend at the Sphere where I bet Dead and Co honor their biggest fan in some fashion.
 

Lorenzo

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I didn’t know him as a player, but I loved his commentary. He called so many games that I watched in the early 2000’s IIRC. Always enjoyed his unique style.
 

Phrazbit

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Loved Walton since the end of a Lakers-Blazers, 82nd game of the season, which was coming down to the buzzer and the Lakers were up 99-97. But on the second to last play, the Blazers turned the ball over and Walton uncorked this gem in response:

“This has been the WORST offensive performance in the HISTORY of the… N… B… A.” Drawing out that list bit like he realized how ridiculous that claim was in a 99-97 game, almost as if he was teasing the audience and himself if he was really going to go to that ludicrous extent.

Like… drew it out long enough for me and all my friends to look at each other while he was slowly saying it, incredulous, begging him to finish the most hyperbolic thing ever said in the history of NBC.

It was beautiful and so was he as a person. Might be going down the road feeling bad tonight, but I look forward to celebrating his legacy this weekend at the Sphere where I bet Dead and Co honor their biggest fan in some fashion.

That stuff always slayed me.

He'd be calling a Pac 12 game in January, Oregon is like 11-10 on the season but they've just gone on a 10 point run to take a slim lead against Cal... "The Oregon Ducks are a great basketball team and the way they are playing right now, NO ONE can beat them! They are a putting on a display worthy of a championship!"
 

Russ Smith

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The sad part in this is it appears he died of prostate cancer which is largely preventable.

I had no idea he even had cancer let alone was this sick but that seems to be the word on what he died from.

FWIW the NY Times is now apparently saying colon cancer not prostate so early reports might be wrong.


Great player, had a great life although he had a ton of bad health luck in his life. if not for the foot injuries would have been an all time great NBA player
 

Hoop Head

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The sad part in this is it appears he died of prostate cancer which is largely preventable.

I had no idea he even had cancer let alone was this sick but that seems to be the word on what he died from.

FWIW the NY Times is now apparently saying colon cancer not prostate so early reports might be wrong.


Great player, had a great life although he had a ton of bad health luck in his life. if not for the foot injuries would have been an all time great NBA player

I read something about how he had been battling cancer for the last year or so in seclusion with his family. It seems it was kept quiet, although he did disappear from the public eye for a bit.
 

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