The team leader on defense, Walton was a superb rebounder and outlet passer to start the fast break. He did not get his wish and sat out the entire 1979 season in protest. I'm in charge here.' Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. We thought he was nuts, but when you're hot and when you're on top and it's all happening, you never think. Or write about sports? [46][47], In 197576, Walton averaged 16.1 points, 13.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.6 blocks in 51 games as Portland, with rookies Bob Gross and Lionel Hollins, finished 3745. However, he returned to broadcasting the following year. Then I joined the NBA. When the Walton children were in junior high and high school, Mr. Walton formed an informal family band: Bruce and Bill played trombone or baritone, Andy played the saxophone, and Cathy played the flute. Bartow added, "I felt very good at halftime, very good. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. [46][11], Due to injuries, Walton spent more time on the disabled list than on the court with his hometown team. Here are the top matchups and tournaments to watch in the non-conference portion of the NCAA softball season. Walton scored eight of UCLA's first 12 points in the game and never looked back. Walton knows alot of basketball but doesn't beat you over the head with his "basketball knowledge" I'd rather hear Walton go off script than hear Jay Bilas say "horn set" 500 times a game. Look at his feet. "[10], Walton's struggle with injury and pain began while at Helix High School, where he broke an ankle, a leg, several bones in his feet, and underwent knee surgery. [citation needed] "There were so many problems", Walton said of the losses. And I realized immediately that I had just absolutely blown this whole deal with John Wooden. Wooden said Walton is the best center he had ever seen in throwing outlet passes. He added 13 rebounds, two assists, and one block, to lead Bruins to a seventh straight title, 8766 over Memphis State; the Tigers were led by head coach Gene Bartow (who replaced Wooden at UCLA three years later),[29] with players Larry Kenon and Larry Finch. [38], In the 1974 Final Four, UCLA's record seven consecutive national titles was broken. "He was really fun to play against. "[8], "When they would begin to rough up Bill, I would look at coach and he would give me a nod", recalled Bruce. He also set the single-tournament mark by shooting 76.3 percent (45 of 59) in 1973. [60][59], The 1986 NBA playoffs were Walton's first taste of the postseason in nearly a decade, at age 33. Walton was injured again in the 198687 regular season, but returned in time for the 1987 playoffs. Wooden would become a lifetime mentor to Walton. Walton was not swayed. Portland Trail Blazers, 1st round (1st pick, 1st overall), 1974 NBA Draft, Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1993 (Full List), More Bill Walton pages at Sports Reference. Let's go. "[36], UCLA finished 264 and 122 in the Pac 8 Conference, with Walton playing alongside Keith Wilkes, David Myers, and Marques Johnson. "Coach Wooden looked at me and said, 'Walton, I used to think you were a good player until you missed that one shot,'" Walton said. Following surgery on his back, Walton returned to broadcasting as a part-time commentator for the Sacramento Kings for 201011 and 201112. [46], On May 13, 1979, Walton signed as a veteran free agent with the San Diego Clippers; the Portland Trail Blazers received Kevin Kunnert, Kermit Washington and a 1980 first-round draft pick (Mike Gminski was later selected) as compensation ordered by the NBA. He fully realized his potential during that season, averaging nearly 19 points, 14.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 3.2 blocks per game. The craziest part? Career Stats Career High Seasons: 18.9 points (1977-78),. Crum first saw Walton in 1968 as a high school junior and was at first dubious when hearing of Walton, but went to scout him anyway. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Updates? Overall in 197273, Walton averaged 20.4 points and 16.9 rebounds in 30 games on 65.0% shooting, as UCLA again finished 300 (140 in the Pac-8 conference). Bill was unable to play a complete game without resting. [7] Coach Graciano "made it [basketball] fun and really emphasized the joy of playing the team game", said Walton. "[107], On Walton's desk sits a message to him from Coach Wooden: "To Bill Walton, it's the things you learn after you know it all that count. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. "[65], "It wasn't important to me because I had no say in the personnel decisions, but what I was impressed with was Bill Walton's character", Parish said of Walton joining the Celtics. [64], "I knew we had something going when we got Walton", Larry Bird said on Walton and the 198586 Celtics. Walton joined the Boston Celtics, and they won the 1985-86 championship. The Terre Haute Tribune noted that Walton "doesn't shoot all over the place." So we had no real idea how fragile everything was. The Associated Press noted that Walton was double-teamed for most of the game, too. Bill Walton was one of the greatest college basketball players of all time. "[76], Overall, Walton played 468 games in his NBA career. He is also mentioned by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the 1980 comedy Airplane! "Yes", said Gloria Walton, "then when the referee wasn't looking, Bruce would give the player an elbow and let him know that the skinny guy was his kid brother. Walton continued to display his dominance during the 197778 campaign, ultimately winning the NBAs MVP award after tallying 18.9 points, 13.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 2.2 blocks per game that season. [42], In 1974, the ABA's San Diego Conquistadors tried to persuade Walton to sign with them, after drafting him in the 1974 ABA draft. 60 games): 20.3 points per game, Fourth, tied for fifth in rebounds in an NCAA tournament semifinal: 18 (1974), 17 (1973), Tied for fourth all-time in rebounds in an NCAA tournament championship game: 20 (1972), Fourth in UCLA history in field goals made: 747, Fifth all-time in most rebounds in a season: 506 rebounds in 1973, Sixth all-time in highest rebound average in a season: 16.9 rebounds per game in 1973, Thirteenth all-time in career field goal percentage: 65.1 percent, Nineteenth and 24th on UCLA's all-time single-season scoring average list: 21.1 ppg (1972), 20.4 ppg (1973), Tied for 18th all-time for most double-doubles in a season: 27 (in 30 games) in 1973, Tied for 21st all-time for most double-doubles in a career: 72 double-doubles, Tied for 22nd all-time in most rebounds in a game since 1973: 27 rebounds against Loyola Chicago and Maryland in 1973, Tied for 27th all-time in consecutive double-doubles in a season: 15 consecutive double-doubles in 1971-72. "I wish we had NBA basketball here, and we don't because of me. Walton was the inaugural inductee into the Grateful Dead Hall of Honor in 2001. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Bill Walton can talk a good game when it comes to doing color commentary on college basketball telecasts, but he played a nearly perfect one as UCLA's star center in the 1973 NCAA Tournament final. Walton's injuries and surgeries limited his career, and counting his 19781979 year-long holdout, Walton played in 44% of the regular season games in his 13-year career. "[citation needed], Walton played high school basketball at Helix High School in La Mesa alongside his brother Bruce, who was one year older at 6ft 6in (1.98m) and 250 pounds (113kg). School: UCLAPosition: CenterHeight: 6-11Weight: 210 poundsYears active: 1971-74NCAA tournament record: 11-1College averages: 20.3 points per game, 15.7 rebounds per game, 65.1% field goal shooting. ")[92][120], Walton appeared in the 1984 motion picture Ghostbusters.[85][86]. [87], In 2001, Walton received an Emmy Award for "Best Live Sports Television Broadcast" and in 2018 was the recipient of the CoSIDA Dick Enberg Award. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. He was a good but injury-prone pro. Walton was named to the NBA's First All-Defensive Team and the All-NBA Second Team for his regular-season accomplishments. He had 24 and 16 at halftime. That's why I have the utmost respect for Bill Walton and that's the main reason why he was my inductee into the Hall of Fame. Bill Walton, byname of William Theodore Walton III, (born November 5, 1952, La Mesa, California, U.S.), American collegiate and professional basketball player who is considered one of the best all-around post players in the sports history. He passes. He then limped off the floor, receiving an ovation from the 19,301 fans. ", Bartow, after the 1973 national championship game: "Walton Walton Walton We couldn't contain Walton. "[12], On Clippers owner Donald Sterling, Walton commented, "The checks bounced higher than the basketballs when Donald Sterling took over. He had 19 points and 11 rebounds against Long Beach State. He rarely talked about basketball, but generally about life. Corrections? Walton wrote the memoir Back from the Dead (2016). [11], After the 198485 campaign, Walton called on two of the league's premier teams, the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. Bill Walton averaged 13.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. Walton averaged 8.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 2.2 blocks in 19 minutes, in helping the Celtics win the championship. Walton had 14 points, seven rebounds, and nine assists against Indiana. "When that happened, he'd tell me and I'd take him out. "I didn't want to play and I told Coach Wooden that. If you let him have the ball around the basket, you're dead. 1978 NBA MVP. "[11], In Walton's senior year, UCLA's 88-game winning streak ended with a 7170 loss at Notre Dame on January 19, 1974. Bill followed Bruce in attending UCLA. Walton set the record for most points in an NCAA championship game, which still stands, and was the tournament's most outstanding player. Omissions? We had a bitter argument over that, and I lost that argument, too", said Walton, who took only three shots as UCLA had a 7861 win. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. A story published in The TerreHaute Tribune on March 24, 1972 noted that Walton hadn't lost a game since he was a sophomore in high school in 1967. He earned Academic All-American honors in 1972, 1973 and 1974. Portland lost the series to Seattle in six games. 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