Two-time NBA Champion, American basketball player and television sportscaster, Bill Walton died Monday following a protracted battle with cancer, the NBA announced. He was 71.
Walton was a two-time national champion at UCLA before winning two titles in the NBA.
“Bill Walton was truly one of a kind,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “As a Hall of Fame player, he redefined the centre position. His unique all-around skills made him a dominant force.
“What I will remember most about him was his zest for life. He was a regular presence at league events – always upbeat, smiling ear to ear and looking to share his wisdom and warmth. I treasured our close friendship, envied his boundless energy and admired the time he took with every person he encountered.”
Walton became famed as a player at both the college and pro level before becoming a popular broadcaster.
At UCLA, Walton was national player of the year in each of his three seasons as the Bruins went a combined 86-4. Walton powered the Bruins to consecutive 30-0 championship seasons in 1972 and 1973.
He was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers with the first overall pick in the 1974 NBA Draft. In just his third season, the 6-foot-11 centre led the franchise to its first and only championship as Portland defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1977 Finals.
