He was undercut by a Washington State player and broke two bones in his spine, which remained damaged until corrective surgery in 2009. Following surgery on his back, Walton returned to broadcasting as a part-time commentator for the Sacramento Kings for 201011 and 201112. [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. Throughout his career, nagging injuries continually slowed Walton. Learn more and register, College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com Blog and Articles. Thank you people of New England. Walton would takes passes that weren't necessarily intended to be alley-oops and he score an alley-oop layup off of them. Thank you Larry Bird. He shot 52.1% from the floor for his career. 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. "Off the floor I worried. Walton was not swayed. Alternate titles: William Theodore Walton III. He fully realized his potential during that season, averaging nearly 19 points, 14.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 3.2 blocks per game. Bill Walton Playoffs Game Log. Walton had 28 points and 14 rebounds against Arizona State, on 13 of 18 shooting, and 9 points and 14 rebounds against San Francisco, taking only 7 shots. [19], Beginning in elementary and high school, Walton had loyally followed UCLA's basketball team on the radio. After his retirement as a player, Walton has become a successful and controversial basketball color commentator. Do you have a blog? [13][14][10], As a senior in 196970, Walton made 384 of 490 shot attempts, 78.3 percent, still the all-time national record. His career was rehabilitated during two seasons with the Boston Celtics at the end of his career. He never talked about strategy, statistics or plays, but rather about people and character. In a Final Four game against Louisville in the 1972 NCAA tournament, Walton was 11-of-15 from the field, scoring 33 points to go along with 21 rebounds. And they're saying, 'Red, come here. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Center "[12], Walton overcame all obstacles and led Helix to 49 consecutive victories in his two varsity seasons. Walton was named the 1972 NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player. [62] In the Eastern Conference Finals 40 sweep against the Milwaukee Bucks, Walton averaged 8.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 18 minutes. The Trail Blazers with Geoff Petrie, Sidney Wicks, and LaRue Martin finished 3844 under player/coach Lenny Wilkens. Walton wrote the memoir Back from the Dead (2016). Bill Walton was born on November 5, 1952. Bill Walton William Theodore Walton III Twitter : BillWalton (Big Red, Grateful Red, Red Baron, Redwood, Chief) Position: Center Shoots: Right 6-11 , 210lb (211cm, 95kg) More bio, uniform, draft, salary info Hall of Fame 2x All Star 1976-77 TRB Champ 1976-77 BLK Champ 2x NBA Champ 2x All-NBA 2x All-Defensive 1976-77 Finals MVP 1977-78 MVP "I wish we had NBA basketball here, and we don't because of me. He is a graduate of Indiana University. In Walton's only NCAA tournament loss of his career, a double-overtime thriller against N.C. State, he still had 29 points and 18 rebounds while playing all 50 minutes, so he sure did his part to keep the Bruins in the game. Join our linker program. [35] Later in the season, UCLA dropped consecutive games in consecutive days at Oregon and Oregon State,[36] nicknamed "the Lost Weekend". [21], After Walton initially refused to cut his hair as an incoming freshman, Coach Wooden told Walton "we'll miss you." [63], In the 1986 NBA Finals, the Celtics defeated the Houston Rockets with "Twin Towers" Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson 42 to win the NBA Championship. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. He entered the corporate world and earned his MBA from Stanford University's Graduate School of Business. "[75], Said Walton reflecting on his career: "I loved basketball. We found that out. He loved playing basketball, just loved it, practices, games especially away games. 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 was recruited by many colleges, but quickly accepted UCLA's scholarship offer to play basketball for the Bruins and Coach Wooden. Join our linker program. November 5, "[98], Chris Walton played for San Diego State. [61], In the Celtics' 41 series win over the Atlanta Hawks with Dominique Wilkins in the Eastern Conference semi-finals, Walton averaged 8.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 13 minutes. That's the day the oft-injured Hall of Famer, whose career had . ", Bartow, after the 1973 national championship game: "Walton Walton Walton We couldn't contain Walton. [46] As his feet became more durable, the Clippers had won 30 and 31 games in his final two seasons. [116] It remained on The New York Times bestseller list for two weeks in April 2016. Do you have a blog? Do you have a blog? Bill was taller, but frail as he had not filled out his growing frame. In fact, the number of jumpers he made outside of the lane might be the most impressive part of his 44-point, 95-percent shooting performance. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. His high arch, which made the foot bones susceptible to breaking, was lowered to relieve the stress on the bones. Big Red, Grateful Red, Red Baron, Redwood, Chief are nicknames for Bill Walton. [117], Walton, who has a service dog, wrote the foreword to the 2015 book Unconditional Honor: Wounded Warriors and their Dogs by author Cathy Scott. 60 games): 15.7 rebounds per game, UCLA-record 48 games with at least 15 points and 15 rebounds, First, tied for second and eighth on UCLA's single-season rebounds per game list: 16.9 rpg, 15.5 rpg, 14.7 rpg, Second all-time in field goal percentage in two games at a Final Four: 82.4% (1973), Tied for second all-time in two games at a Final Four: 41 (1972), Tied for second, tied for fourth all-time in UCLA history in single-game rebounds: 27 (twice), 24 (three times), Second in UCLA history in career field goal percentage: 65.1%, Second in UCLA history in career double-doubles: 72 double-doubles, Second in UCLA history in 20-rebound games: 19 games, Tied for third all-time in field goals in two games at a Final Four: 28 (173), Third in UCLA history in career scoring average (min. He was a dynamic big moment guy, and I just wish I could have risen to the occasion. That's the timelessness of pain and suffering; the agonizing, the reflection and the endless questioning of yourself. "[13], Hall of Fame Coach Denny Crum was then an assistant coach at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), under John Wooden, sent to watch Walton play. "It was all a matter of if he could stay healthy. He says, 'Walton, can you play?' ")[92][120], Walton appeared in the 1984 motion picture Ghostbusters.[85][86]. [15] In addition, Walton's 825 rebounds that season ranks No 3 all-time. "I was a skinny, scrawny guy. Walton received the NBA Retired Players Association Humanitarian Award in 2002. I think I can, Red.' I've had 37 (38 now) orthopedic operations. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Do you have a sports website? Walton led UCLA in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage for three consecutive years: No sophomore, junior or senior in UCLA history has averaged more rebounds per game, respectively, than when Walton was a sophomore, junior and senior. 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. I looked up at him with the sad, soft eyes of a young man who just wanted one more chance. It was just a nightmare. This article was most recently revised and updated by, The 10 Greatest Basketball Players of All Time, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bill-Walton, ESPN Classic - Walton weathered injuries to win titles, Bill Walton - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Here is the Week 1 ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 poll, released Feb. 14. He is also mentioned by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the 1980 comedy Airplane! Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. [27], In the 25-team 1973 NCAA tournament, UCLA defeated Arizona State 9881 and then San Francisco in the West Regional Final 5439 to reach the Final Four. 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. [67][68] He attempted a comeback in February 1990, but injuries intervened and he retired as a player. Rocket players learned that to get into the Helix gym they could call the teenage Walton, who had his own gym key. Bartow added, "I felt very good at halftime, very good. If you let him have the ball around the basket, you're dead. [25][26][23], Walton's political personality was alive in his collegiate years on the UCLA campus. Coach Nash played Bill and Bruce Walton together in the paint. To fellow Deadheads, Walton is fondly known as "Grateful Red" and the "Big Red Deadhead" and "World's Tallest Deadhead". He was named first-team All-American with Jim Chones of Marquette, Bo Lamar of the Louisiana-Lafayette, Ed Ratleff of Long Beach State, and Tom Riker of South Carolina. [52][53], Portland matched up in the 1977 NBA Finals against the favored Philadelphia 76ers. 2x NBA CHAMPION. [81], Walton frequently works alongside Dave Pasch while calling Pac-12 games. It's true that Bill's game, even when he was healthy, was never about flash. Shoots: Learn more and register. [43], Walton's first two seasons in Portland were marred by chronic foot injuries. I've never seen a player so dominating as Walton. [18], "It was a dream come true to be a part of a special team", Walton said. But, he played in only six games and did not start any of them. Walton was named the NCAA player of the year in three consecutive seasons (197274). 1952 2x NCAA CHAMPION . And I was going to go until I couldn't go anymore. By far the youngest player on the roster, Walton played minimally in five games, averaging 2.6 points. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. The Portland Trail Blazers selected Walton with the first pick in the first round of the 1974 National Basketball Association (NBA) draft. [25][26], In his 87 career games at UCLA, Walton shot 65.1% from the field, averaging 20.3 points, 15.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists. "He thought enough of me to make sure I was comfortable with him being on the team. . And another one. What other performance could possibly come close to that? Center Bill Walton was an absolute monster during his three-year stretch at UCLA in the '70s. Period.". The 6'6" 205-pound wing set the NCAA record for career rebounds (2,201) that still stands today. [10], During his sophomore year of high school (age 1516), Walton grew from 6ft 1in (1.85m) to 6ft 7in (2.01m). 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. But, he made 12 of his first 13 shots and the Bruins led Notre Dame by 17 points at halftime. After 19 years working in broadcasting, he left ESPN in November 2009, as the result of back problems, which dated back to an injury he suffered in college at UCLA. Walton scored in a variety of ways against Memphis State. And he had a great head, a very dedicated team player. [28][27], In the 1973 Final Four, the Bruins won the national semifinal 7059 over Indiana and Hall of Fame coach Bob Knight. Helix won the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Championship in both 1969 and 1970, finishing 292 in 196869 and 330 in 196970. [39][38], "David Thompson's a great champion. Or write about sports? In 1972-73, they were 30-0 again and won four . Following his retirement, he became an outspoken analyst on NBA television broadcasts. This was a team achievement and was built around Walton but we'd be foolish not to go to him. "[55], The following season, the 197778 Trail Blazers won 50 of their first 60 games, as Walton averaged 18.9 points, 13.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 2.5 blocks in 58 games. [101], Adam Walton played at Louisiana State University, Pomona College and the College of Notre Dame in Belmont, California. Walton was selected as the Most Outstanding Player of both tournaments and established an NCAA tournament career record for field goal percentage at 68.6 percent (109 of 159 field goals) from 1972 to 1974. "[12], In 169 games with the Clippers, Walton averaged 11.9 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 2.3 blocks, shooting 53.2%. I found a safe place in life in basketball. "[35][22], A week later, the Bruins beat the Fighting Irish 9475 at home. Give me the phone!' Walton set the record for most points in an NCAA championship game, which still stands, and was the tournament's most outstanding player. [108] He attended more than 850[109] Grateful Dead concerts, including traveling with the band to Egypt for its famous 1978 performance before the Pyramids (joining the band on drums),[110] and quotes Grateful Dead lyrics in TV and radio interviews. "I regret that I wasn't a better person. [citation needed] In 2001, Walton was inducted into The Grateful Dead Hall of Honor. His parents had interests in art, literature, politics, and music. Walton won 1 MVP Award, was selected to play in 2 All-Star Games, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1993. Freshmen were prohibited by the NCAA from playing varsity at the time. In a 2004 interview with ESPN, Walton stated that "for the first time in my life, I was exposed to negative coaching and the berating of players and the foul language and the threatening of people who didnt perform. [deleted] 10 yr. ago For the curious. He became the only player to have won an NBA Finals MVP, Sixth Man Award, and regular season MVP. A bronze statue of Walton was unveiled at Ski Beach Park in San Diego, California's. Bruce was a star football player as well. He currently is a college assistant coach at San Diego Mesa College. home/away, monthly, etc More Bill Walton Basketball Reference pages. Walton was named to the NBA's First All-Defensive Team and the All-NBA Second Team for his regular-season accomplishments. Look at this. And Red says, 'Shut up. Red looks down at me. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. DI indoor T&F championship selections revealed, How La. Walton joined the Boston Celtics, and they won the 1985-86 championship. Walton then rode his bike to a nearby barber. Your Account Logout Login Create Account MENU Players Schools Years Leaders CFB Scores Bowls Play Index Newsletter "Maurice was so important in my life and in little Luke's life", Walton said. 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