Growing up on the West side of Los Angeles and being into sports, Bill Walton was our hero.... We all loved that man in so many ways. As he goes into the Heavens, I am grateful he was in our lives...
"Living Legend" is a term that gets tossed around, but Bill personifies it. Not just as a ballplayer, but as a man. He's been everywhere, seen everything, and is truly a national treasure.
The Activist Side of Bill is currently fighting for San Diego Residents and their Quality of Life. Go Bill and keep Speaking your mind whether we agree or not.
@@cacornhusker2940 not only is he a great athlete, he's intelligent and articulate and doesn't hesitate to take advantage of his background and education
Bill Walton, in his prime and injury free, was unstoppable. Even with nagging injuries, he was a force and a game-changer...his basketball IQ was as good as anyone's - He is one of the greatest... those who think otherwise never saw him play
i just laughed outloud at 26:28 when Bill said that the New Enforcer, Maurice Lucas even told teammates, "...if they didn't play the game of their lives he was gonna kill them."
This man played only 468 games out of a possible 1066 (including 2 full missed seasons). And was still a first ballot hall of Famer and one of the 50 greatest of all time. That alone should tell you how great of a basketball player he was
Doesn’t matter what posters think the fraternity of NBA players know . The big redhead was dominate at every level even while limited by injuries that retired most . B-ball HOF is about college and pro career so he just off college should be in.
It's hard not to cry watching this. Bill is such a thoughtful guy. Imagine the frustration of trying to battle through injuries with all of that ability wanting to get out.
I started to feel bad for him but then I though I would die to have been in his position… he reached heights I can only dream of. He had amazing luck and the bad luck within the great luck, lol. He’s one of my favorite players.
@@acpliegowe are all dealt a hand but he maximized his . I know I didn't this far but we all have time until we don't . Somethings don't give you time like injury in sports but Bill didn't let that stop him . And it shouldn't stop is .✌️🍻
Met him during his speaking tour at the University of Maine, 1990. He was such a gracious guy, wanted to know what I am studying and what I was doing to make me better than the average student. Such a great guy!
You could tell when his feet were hurting. When they weren't, he was jumping with his hands 2 feet plus over the rim, when they were, he was just getting his hand and wrist over the rim. I noticed this his Sr year at UCLA. It unfortunately carried throughout his professional career. Now we know why. He had congenital defects in the structure of his feet which were causing stress fractures in particular to the navicular bone. It's too bad that at the time he played they didn't diagnose the problem early in his career. Today, I'm sure they would have made the diagnosis early and could have surgically fixed it. Back then even if they had diagnosed it they probably wouldn't have known how to fix it.
Growing up in San Diego and crazy about Basketball he was a living legend and a great role model. He was very kind 😇 and was always busy helping others in our Community! Rest in Peace Bill and enjoy your after life with Family and Friends 🧡
His junior, senior years at high school he went 64-3; senior year averaged 29 points and 25 rebounds. He still holds the all time high school field goal percentage record at 79%. From high school to UCLA he went on a 142 game win streak. 86-4 at UCLA, responsible for the majority of wins in UCLA's record 88 game win streak. Three time winner of NCAA player of the year. The best NBA center that never was.
For John Wooden to say what he did had to have given Walton chills. The validation Walton had already earned many times over but Wooden saying so on record, given all the great players he cultivated, had to matter big time. This was great to watch again.
In 1975, while injured & wearing street clothes during a home game in Portland, Walton walked out of the locker room just before the 3rd quarter started. While the teams were in their huddles, Walton picked up a loose ball from the warm ups that just ended. He shot from 15 feet away on the baseline. The swish was met with a very loud standing ovation from the crowd, the only one that night. The fans knew Walton was their franchise. The next season, the Blazers won the NBA championship.
A sunbeam of light who touched all he knew in a special way. Its not how long you live, but rather how you live and he embraced life in such a positive way. RIP Big Bill as heaven gained not only a great basketball player but also a greater man.
I was born in 97. My grandpa was born in 47. My grandpa passed away last year 2023. He would always talk about how good Bill Walton was back in the day, I never truly understood. I stared getting into watching Basketball around 07 08 when Luke was on the Lakers with Kobe. Now that Bill has passed I’ve been watching videos about him.. never knew he was deadhead that is so fn cool. I myself have dived into some psychedelic adventures in my life. Bill was such a cool genuine human being. Wish I would’ve paid more attention to him when he was still living. John Wooden also coached Bill in college. John was from the same hometown I am Martinsville, Indiana. I even went to west middle school which before was the high school that John wooden went to and the gym is still there till this day. John won the state championships in high school in 1927. I love all the history. I’m gonna research John more too. I hope too be half as cool and live a life at least half as cool as Bills. He travels to Egypt with the Grateful Dead. What a story this guys life was. If Bill is up there and can hear me say hi to my grandpa for me. R.I.P. Bill Walton
When healthy, he belonged in the discussions about the best. Too bad healthy periods didn't last long. When he first began broadcasting, I hated him and thought he was trying too hard. But then I realized he was sincere and authentic. He loved the game. His joy showed through. He took us on that joy ride. He lived life to the fullest. RIP.
I had the privilege of being a college student in California when Bill Walton was rocking the rafters in Pauley Pavilion. The Pavilion was mecca for college basketball. It was the place to see and be seen. But, don't forget, there was another coach in California that had taken Pasadena City College to the state championship and was lured to Long Beach State. He was Jerry Tarkanian. Tark the Shark threw the fear of God into UCLA from lowly LB State. He nearly knocked them off their perch in Western Regional playoffs. Afterward, Coach Wooden never scheduled Long Beach State.
The big what if....Walton didn't have "tall white man's feet"? He might have gone down as the best ever. Broke my heart. A life-long Celtics fan I couldn't have been happier when they got him and they won a title.
Bill Walton played the best game of any college player in an NCAA championship game final, scoring on 21 of 22 field goals and 44 points against Memphis State in 1973. He also had 4 "dunks" called off because of the goaltending rule in the day, otherwise he would have had 52 points with 25 for 26 from the floor. Since, I have never seen a better game from a college player in a game let alone an NCAA title game. Bill came through best when it counted most.
Yes and Bill truly loves and appreciates the great players before, during and since his time. He raves about how he admires and loves what other greats brought to the game.
Best sports book of all time is "The Breaks of the Game" by David Halberstam which chronicles the 1979-80 Portland Trailblazers and the aftermath of the championship Blazers team of 76-77.
I watched the '86 Celtics not to long ago in their playoff run and for everyone saying this guy could have been the goat or saying he was the best college player ever...I believe you. Watch a broken down figure of a man playing pick n roll with The Larry Bird during the Celts '86 season. It was so one-sided!?!? and ... Unfair!?! I believe. Noone, NOONE plays like that...Let alone at that level!? Stock and Karl was like slow jazz, but this ..this is something else altogether..the fire, the intensity !!?!! '86 Celts always will be in the conversation of "Greatest teams" for me
1979 I was sitting at the Jolly Roger coffee shop on Balboa Island. I see Bill walking alone across the street. Tie die shirt, headband, leaning into his walk, must have been recovering from a surgery. Didn’t want to chase him down but would have loved to just shake his hand and say hello.
Bill could have still stuttered and still had Credibility as a Broadcaster, but Huge Props for not giving up and wanting to be the Best and not just employed.
He LOVED Lucas as a teammate. And why not? Luke allowed Bill to play his game and they made a great duo. The b ball world got shorted when they couldn't continue on with good health. Mostly Walton, but Lucas wasn't quite the same either, once leaving Portland.
Steve Jones, in a local Portland interview, takes credit for showing Bill what to eat to be a strong athlete and it certainly worked for awhile, it seems. Imagine how amazing his NBA career would've been if he had that from an earlier age. Regardless, his career is still celebrated and we all love him here in Oregon!!!
@@KRHEE I'm sorry I got snotty, Kendrick. You didn't deserve that. I wasn't in a very good mood when I was watching, and I took it out on ya. My bad. At least you were civil in your reply, which I can really appreciate. Stay the good person you are.
I was 9 yrs old on Jan 11th 1978 when my family moved to CA from TX. Walking ahead of me was this 12 foot monster from outer space, or so it seemed to me. That was Bill Walton. Seriously, the first time you see a guy that stands 6'11" tall it's quite a trip. In that same yr I was right next to Mr Roper (Norman Fell), and that summer we had relatives out and we took a boat ride around Balboa Island in Newport Beach, and saw John Wayne who was having cocktails with friends in his back yard. All in 1978.
Beyond his basketball and broadcasting triumphs is the way he faced adversity. Most become angry, feel sorry for themselves, live in the past always focusing on themselves, not Bill Walton. I believe his greatest achievement was doing just the opposite of human nature and focusing on others, lifting people, with that big smile on his face. He turned around a life spiraling into oblivion after being leveled by injury and became a true giant.
What a great way to be. I wish I was much more that way. Alot more. Great comment. I take it to heart and try harder if someone says something of my negative attitude sometimes because of my physical pain that seems never to end. He was a great man ,and so interesting to listen to, the reason why I watched some games . Rest dear man
33:00 into the video Bill Walton is shown as a contestant on the quiz show Tic Toc Dough. I was the contestant coordinator for that show. I remember clearly (playfully) challenging Mr. Walton to a game of one on one. He looked at me with a stare that said, don't even play. After watching this I can totally understand. I did not know what was going on in his life at the time. RIP to a great person.
"He was known to smoke the weed...it was his way of making a statement." Yes, Mr. Walton was quite the orator. I experimented with weed and other stuff in college...it was a very thorough experiment.
NBA Finals MVP (vanquished Kareem & Dr. J in succession), regular season MVP, 2 X All-NBA, multiple time All Star: Bill Walton had the 18th best peak in NBA history. Walton also finished as the greatest 6MOY. He smoked the weed while earning his top 50 plaudits.
this is nonsense: BW (or another, if you want) is the best center of all time because he made things in HIS time that nobody was able to get closer..he was a guard in his skills and a center in his body..doctor j or jordan, or connie hawkins? akeem or bill russell? hey, this is a fantastic game because you are able to change being in the same game. the fitness the players have now is incomparable to the '60, '70, '80, and '90 players'..larry bird NOW could probably not be playing, but he was a God on earth with the celtics..and probably, with today's fitness, he couldn't be able to do what he did in the past..this is basketball, not hulk against superman :)
A healthy Walton may have been the best center in NBA history. He's the greatest college player I've ever seen, totally dominated the game on both ends of the floor.
Growin up LA, diggin on the Walton gang with those blue and yellow uni's destroying teams while hearing dick enberg call it all and checkin those hot bruin cheerleaders was somethin special..
One wonders that if basketball shoes were better back in his high school days and so on, kinda like they area today, that he wouldn't have had the issues he had. At least not as severe. Great player.
A lot of big players still experience these kind of problems: i.e. Yao Ming. Sure, it might have helped him to play longer but growing from 6'2'' to 6'9'' in 1 year, pretty much means you are going to have problems later in life if you grind your bones too much.
@Bill Harper Back then too, NBA players would eat at the breakfast bars at the local motels. Then take commercial (really, until the 90s) so they had to worry about their own travel, tight spaces, etc.
I think every college basketball should have had the pleasure of coaching Walton...Could you see Walton being coached by Bobby Knight. Walton is the fascinating college basketball player ever.
Obviously some definite parallels with Kawhi Leonard's former situation in San Antonio. In each case, the player didn't trust the team's medical staff.
If he had a 10-12 year injury free no doubt he would have been a top 5 center all time in college I believe he was the second greatest college basketball player of all time only behind Jabbar.
@@elziewilson9279 Maravich scored a lot of points his teams never won the SEC or made the tournament a great player in my top 5 all time but not the GOAT of college basketball.
He Cursed the organization with hopes and dreams after their championship run. It caused the Blazers to look for more Walton type centers and they took Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan a decade later. New face - even worse result - no ring from Bowie, no good season from Bowie. At least they got the 2-3 really good years out of Walton, they never really got anything out of Sam.
paysonfox88 they already had Drexler so wouldn't have picked Jordan. They needed a center. Sure easy to say now to pick Jordan but at that time they didn't know and were doing what was thought to be best for the team.
The Blazers seem to be cursed when it comes to the center position in their history . Bill Walton was truly an incredible basketball player ! The year after winning the NBA championship they were 50-10 in 78 before he had that dreadful season ending injury. They went 8-14 after and finished with 58 wins. Portland would've repeated if he didn't get hurt ! In fact had he not miss all of the 78-79 season they would've won 3 in a row ! That's how great he was ! Stats do not tell the whole story. Walton could do it all ! Fundamentally sound .The epitome of a team basketball player . He gave Kareem fits ! Swept the Lakers that year in 77 . Lakers Dynasty which started in 79-80 mightve been delayed a year or two if he wasn't hurt. Unfortunately we'll never know. What a shame.
I feel like getting a healthy Walton for 1 year... the basketball gods took away Bias & Lewis. I’ll still never get over losing those 2 & Walton is my tunnel vision brain trying to rationalize
With all that support for you feet that Chuck Taylor's gave them, your statement could be liable. All those shoes were was a couple of rubber soles held on by some fabric.
