RIP Bill Walton

[UPChip]

x.com

At the age of 71 due to cancer.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

That is wretched, wretched news. I truly believe that if it weren't for the injuries, he could have had one of the top three or four NBA careers. Awful to lose someone who personified joy in living.

 

[BitterYoungMatador2]

Met him by accident in 2019. he was leaving an office as I was going in and we chatted for a couple of minutes. Just a super friendly guy. RIP. If you haven’t seen the 30 for 30 on him, do so.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

Damn it! **** cancer.

 

[garrow]

Very sad. Never played for a team I followed, but seemed like a unique, larger than life character. RIP.

 

[UPChip]

The stories for this obit are going to be legendary.

 

[nickp]

Bill Walton passes away 2 days after the final Pac 12 Tournament in any sport

 

[Songbird]

For the sports mad person, there are moments you wish you could have watched live.

I was 18 months ago when Walton made 21 of 22 shots and scored 44 against Memphis State.



I was only 6 when he led the Blazers to the '77 NBA title and I missed that one too.

Like Bernard King and others, Bill Walton will always be one of those ultimate "what if?" stories.

Bill Walton was one of the great American characters.

 

[dixiehack]

Now the PAC-12 really is over.

RIP. I learned a little about letting go and enjoying life from that guy.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

Aw, dammit. Loved Bill Walton.

RIP. Sad, sad news.

 

[LanceyHoward]

Probably my favorite basketball player to ever watch because of his passing skills. Probably the best outlet passer ever and I loved watching the UCLA teams.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

I was too young for the bulk of his playing career, but I remember he had a tremendous season as a sixth man for the championship Celtics in ‘86. RIP.

 

[BTExpress]

I sure wasted a lot of my childhood not liking good people just because they played for "evil" (aka highly successful) teams.

 

[Webster]

I stood near him in the pit at a Springsteen show at Giants Stadium— he was there with his son and Richard Jefferson (both of whom looked miserable). If his public persona was an act, he was committed to the bit. The man spent nearly 4 hours smiling, dancing, singing, pumping his fists and high fiving everyone in sight. RIP

 

[micropolitan guy]

Horrible news. What a great player, great man, and great ambassador for the Pac-8, Pac-10 and Pac-12. He was very much against what UCLA did to help break up the Pac-12 and was not afraid to express it. At least he won't have to see the mess college athletics have, and will, become.

He came to Microville often as part of the Pac-12 Network crew. Always accommodating. He was a frequent guest on the local talk radio show. OSU support people loved working with him because A, he loved the Pac, and B, because he was so friendly and gracious. When he would be at Gill, they'd always play some Grateful Dead music for him during the warmup period. He loved the state of Oregon.

The Pac-12 has lost a giant. RIP to a great human being.

 

[playthrough]

"A great American character" is well said.

Never knew what would come out of his mouth when calling games -- how fun. That wasn't a million years ago but seems like it the way most broadcasts are now.

 

[Small Town Guy]

We discussed it on the 30 for 30 thread at the time but the documentary on him from last year was incredible and gave me a new appreciation for him.

 

[MTM]

 

[X-Hack]

Boy this hurts bad. Even though I'm just old enough to only vaguely remember his championship with the Blazers, Bill Walton -- along with Pierce, Dumars, Earvin and Kareem -- were my favorite basketball players of all time. I had no idea he was sick. He was a true American treasure and this is absolutely devastating news.

May the four winds blow you safely home, Bill.

 

[BitterYoungMatador2]

And in true ESPN fashion, they have Stephen A commenting on this…