Twitter: "[49], Walton led the NBA in both rebounds per game (14.4) and blocked shots per game (3.2) as he was selected to the NBA All-Star Game, but did not participate due to an injury. Walton would never play for the Trail Blazers again. [64], "I knew we had something going when we got Walton", Larry Bird said on Walton and the 198586 Celtics. . When you're right there and it's there for you and the whole world is watching, and it's recorded as history that can never be changed, that is a terribly heavy burden. 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. And to me it was frustrating because I finally had a great team and a great player and it was all coming apart. He spent three more quiet seasons in San Diego before being traded to the Boston Celtics in 1985. [56] Walton nonetheless won the 1978 NBA Most Valuable Player award and the Sporting News NBA MVP, as well. 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. The gymnasium at the Boys and Girls Club in, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 09:26. [60][59], The 1986 NBA playoffs were Walton's first taste of the postseason in nearly a decade, at age 33. I regret that I got hurt. [23][24], In the 1972 Final Four, Walton had 33 points and 21 rebounds, on 11 of 13 shooting and 11 of 12 free-throws, against Louisville in the NCAA semifinal, as UCLA won 9677. "[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%. Staying relatively healthy, Walton became an integral component of an already talented Celtics team and, in a reserve role, helped Boston win the NBA title in 1986. "I was a skinny, scrawny guy. I'm the luckiest guy on earth. Walton also received the USBWA College Player of the Year and Naismith College Player of the Year as the top college basketball player in 1972, 1973, and 1974. After having received a painkilling injection to play, X-rays taken after Game 2 revealed the navicular bone below Walton's left ankle was broken. 3 [deleted] 10 yr. ago Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Research validated Walton's claim. William Theodore Walton III Twitter: BillWalton (Big Red, Grateful Red, Red Baron, Redwood, Chief) Position: Center Shoots: Right 6-11, 210lb (211cm, 95kg) . I said, 'Mom, that's Big E! [4][5][6], Walton's father Ted was a music teacher and social worker and his mother Gloria, a librarian. Walton led the league in blocked shots and rebounding, was named to the NBA all-defensive team, and was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 1977 play-offs. Tech. I'm the lucky one, in that I never thought going through all of it that I would be healthy at the end. He did all that in just 33 minutes, too. In the Nuggets series Walton averaged 17.5 points, 13.0 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 3.0 blocks. [25][26], UCLA again finished 300 overall and 140 in the Pac-8 conference in 197273. In the NCAA championship game, he had 24 points and 20 rebounds in the Bruins' 8176 victory over Florida State. He did not get his wish and sat out the entire 1979 season in protest. The Rockets had no set practice facility and would often play pick-up games at Helix High School. Join our linker program. But to win, we also felt we had to control Walton. He never talked about strategy, statistics or plays, but rather about people and character. [10], Walton's ankle problems became so severe that he had both his ankles surgically fused. Do you have a sports website? Here are the top matchups and tournaments to watch in the non-conference portion of the NCAA softball season. [118][119], Walton has cameo appearances in the films 88 and 1, Celtic Pride, Little Nicky and Semi-Pro, and appeared as Sven the Wise in the 2011 Capital One Visigoth SportsNet commercials. [16] His 25.0 rebounds per game in a season ranks No. Watch the incredible performance for yourself: The fact that Walton once scored 44 points in an NCAA tournament title game while nearly being perfect from the field completely reframes the discussion about his greatest games. Walton recalled Elvin Hayes calling and telling his mother, "Tell Billy, Big E is calling and we need him to open the gym tonight. College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com, Scores from any date in BAA/NBA or ABA history, Frequently Asked Questions about the NBA, WNBA and Basketball, Basketball-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREE. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. 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. He even led the Bruins in assists in 1974 with 5.48 assists per game. After losing the first two games, the Blazers won four straight to win the NBA championship. Bird said that if Walton felt healthy enough to play that it was good enough for him, as opposed to Lakers GM Jerry West, who was hedging his interest in Walton pending a doctor's report. We worked to push him out farther. At the St. Louis Arena on March26, Walton scored 44 points on near-perfect 21 of 22 shooting. And Red, through the smoke, with a big, cherubic grin on his face, looked at the doctors, looked at me, and he said, 'He's fine. [83], While broadcasting a game between the Oregon Ducks and USC Trojans, Walton talked about a speech Bob Dylan gave at MusiCares, and ESPN had prepared graphics about Dylan's career highlights. Walton then rode his bike to a nearby barber. [93][94] Luke was the head coach of the Lakers (20162019), after two years as an assistant for the Golden State Warriors. Or write about sports? Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? "I came back and told Coach Wooden that this Walton kid was the best high school player I'd ever seen", Crum recalled. [25][26][23], Walton's political personality was alive in his collegiate years on the UCLA campus. "Of which I had no interest in doing", Walton said. [11], Walton played a career-high 80 games for Coach KC Jones and the Celtics during the 198586 season. A famous free spirit, he was known for his social activism, outspoken opinions, and devotion to the Grateful Dead rock band. 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. Bill Walton weighed 210 lbs (95 kg) when playing. Walton was named to the NBA's First All-Defensive Team and the All-NBA Second Team for his regular-season accomplishments. Bill Walton is a 6-11 junior center from Helix, Calif. who is the best college basketball player ever. It's my greatest failure as a professional in my entire life, I could not get the job done in my hometown. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. 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. 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. So we had no real idea how fragile everything was. And we were able to go out and win a championship. I've never met anybody who stopped playing voluntarily. Bill Walton Playoffs Game Log. During this time, he befriended the controversial writer Jack Scott, who wrote and published a book about him in 1978. "[35][22], A week later, the Bruins beat the Fighting Irish 9475 at home. Bill Walton was one of the greatest college basketball players in history. 7 Arizona, Indiana outruns Purdue, UNC and Florida State earn stunning wins and more from a men's hoops Saturday, How two HBCUs won an NCAA tournament game in the same year for the first time, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, 1971-72: 21.1 points, 15.5 rebounds, 63.9% field goal shooting, 1972-73: 20.4 points, 16.9 rebounds, 65.0% field goal shooting, 1973-74: 19.3 points, 14.7 rebounds, 66.5% field goal shooting, One of the top 15 players honored in th e75 Years of March Madness Celebration, The most points scored in an NCAA tournament championship game: 44 points (1973), The most field goals in an NCAA tournament championship game: 21 (1973), UCLA's all-time leader in career rebounds: 1,370 rebounds, UCLA's all-time leader in career rebounds per game (min. "[73], Coach Jack Ramsay, in 2010, called Walton the best Portland Trail Blazer, "hands down no question", Ramsay said. I'm in charge here.' "I didn't want to play and I told Coach Wooden that. But as soon as I got on the court I was fine. He shot 52.1% from the floor for his career. Bartow added, "I felt very good at halftime, very good. He entered the corporate world and earned his MBA from Stanford University's Graduate School of Business. [46], At age 17, just out of high school, in the summer of 1970, Walton was selected to represent USA Basketball at the 1970 FIBA World Championship. Bill followed Bruce in attending UCLA. [11], As a rookie in 197475, Walton averaged a double-double 12.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 2.7 blocks in 35 games. Bill Walton is a playable character in the video games NBA Street Vol. 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. [46], Walton described doctors looking at his X-rays at the hospital after he arrived in Boston: "And then Red, he bursts in through the double doors and he's smoking his cigar in the hospital, and he walks in and says, 'Who are you guys and what are you doing with my player?' Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. (Bill Walton had attended Stanford Law School for two years while with the Clippers, but never graduated.) 2023 NCAA | Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Gonzaga, Baylor lead Andy Katz's first Power 36 rankings for the 2020-21 season, Find out which March Madness Moment was voted the greatest of all time, College basketball dictionary: 51 terms defined, How recent eventual March Madness men's champions did in their conference tournaments, 2023 Selection Sunday: Date, schedule, TV times, Marquette, Indiana leap into the top 6 of the men's college basketball Power 36 rankings, We're tracking all 32 NCAA men's basketball conference tournaments, auto bids for 2023, 2023 NCAA printable bracket, schedule for March Madness, Undefeated teams in DI college basketball, 5 stunners that rocked men's college basketball on the last Saturday before March, Arizona State's buzzer-beating 3-pointer from beyond half court shocks No. In 1994, Walton was voted into the Verizon Academic All-American Hall of Fame. In July 2012, ESPN and the Pac-12 Network announced that Walton would return to full-time broadcasting as a game analyst for Pac-12 conference basketball coverage. [32], "I don't think anything ever meant as much to me as playing UCLA and one of John Wooden's best teams for the national championship", Bartow said in 1993. Bill Walton averages for the NBA season and Playoffs, including points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and other categories, year by year and career numbers. "[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. He was recruited by many colleges, but quickly accepted UCLA's scholarship offer to play basketball for the Bruins and Coach Wooden. USA forward James Forbes told ESPN as part of a SportsCentury documentary, "If [Walton] plays, all of this becomes academic. "[12], "We had the best gym in San Diego and all the Rockets players wanted to go there", Walton reflected. His commentary has been noted for his frequent use of catchphrases and hyperbole. He's a nationally known face, a hipster wild man, but now he's also this: Or write about sports? [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. 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 "[12], Walton overcame all obstacles and led Helix to 49 consecutive victories in his two varsity seasons. Walton sat out the 197879 season and was then signed by the San Diego Clippers (now Los Angeles Clippers), for whom he played four injury-plagued seasons. Walton averaged 29 points and 25 rebounds, as Helix finished 330 in his senior season. One more chance to be part of something special, to be part of the team, to be with the guys one more time. Walton scored 20 points and grabbed 23 rebounds in the clinching Game 6 victory,[54][49] and was named the Finals' Most Valuable Player with averages of 18.5 points, 19.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.0 steals, and 3.7 blocks,[49][54] which prompted Philadelphia 76ers coach Gene Shue to comment after the series: "Bill Walton is the best player for a big man who ever played the game of basketball. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. See our list of forfeits and vacated games for more details. Some school's results have been altered by retroactive NCAA penalties. Omissions? Walton is particularly attached to the Grateful Dead, whose concerts he started attending in 1967, while he was still in high school. [10], During his sophomore year of high school (age 1516), Walton grew from 6ft 1in (1.85m) to 6ft 7in (2.01m). I was never so embarrassed in my life. [17], In 1970, Walton was featured in "Faces in the Crowd" in the January 26 issue of Sports Illustrated, his first national media recognition. [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. [67][68] He attempted a comeback in February 1990, but injuries intervened and he retired as a player. Perhaps, I've never had a better team when you consider both offense and defense. [citation needed], Walton first played organized basketball under Frank "Rocky" Graciano, who coached at Walton's Catholic elementary school. He is big and strong and wirey. 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). College Football at Sports-Reference.com Blog and Articles. Elvin and I are still close friends. Bill Walton led the Bruins to two consecutive 300 seasons and the NCAA men's basketball record 88-game winning streak. What other performance could possibly come close to that? Find out more. All of those guys all still my friends to this very day. [82], Walton's 2003 TV series Bill Walton's Long Strange Trip aired on ESPN with Walton as subject and star. Bill Walton, a three-time National Player of the Year and a key member in UCLA's dynasty under John Wooden, was one of the greatest men's college basketball players ever. He won another NBA title in 1986 as a member of the Boston Celtics. 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. And Red pushes his way through all the doctors, comes over. Big Red, Grateful Red, Red Baron, Redwood, Chief are nicknames for Bill Walton. He had 24 and 16 at halftime. Wooden said Walton is the best center he had ever seen in throwing outlet passes. Portland, concerned that Walton was injury-prone, traded him to the San Diego Clippers after the 197879 season. Join our linker program. Walton spent the 198788 season on the Celtics' injured list. Then, when I was 28 I learned how to speak. He averaged 21.1, 20.4, and 19.3 points per game in his three seasons and was . But, he made 12 of his first 13 shots and the Bruins led Notre Dame by 17 points at halftime. Here is the Week 1 ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 poll, released Feb. 14. When UCLA led Memphis State 35-30, Walton wasn't that far behind the Tigers with his individual point total of 20. He was a dynamic big moment guy, and I just wish I could have risen to the occasion. In 2015, he made a visit to the Ken Kesey Collection while on a stop at the University of Oregon. All these guys treated melittle Billylike I was part of the team. In 1972-73, they were 30-0 again and won four . American basketball player and sportscaster, First championship and Finals MVP (19761977), Second championship and sixth man award (19851986), Injury-plagued final playing year (19861987), 1972 Official Collegiate Basketball Guide, College Athletics Publishing Service, 1971, UCLA Bruins men's basketball 197172 NCAA champions, UCLA Bruins men's basketball 197273 NCAA champions, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player, Unconditional Honor: Wounded Warriors and their Dogs, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Helms Foundation College Player of the Year, National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, List of National Basketball Association annual rebounding leaders, List of National Basketball Association annual blocks leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff rebounding leaders, "ON PRO BASKETBALL; Feet of Dancer, Touch of Surgeon, and a Shot, Too", "Bill Walton comes back from injury an enlightened man", "UCLA's superstar feeds their fast break and feasts on their foes", "Lex Nihil Novi: Bruce Walton had Bill's Back in High School", "Walton blames self for Clippers' San Diego exit", "ESPN Classic Walton weathered injuries to win titles", "Record Book Result - Most Field Goals Made - Percentage - Season (Minimum 400 Attempts)", National Federation of State High School Associations, "Record Book Result - Most Rebounds - Season", "Record Book Result - Most Rebounds - Per Game - Season (Minimum 15 Games)", "NBA.com: Walton, Lucas Ignite 'Blazermania', "The Thing Bill Walton Still Can't Forgive Himself For", "Bill Walton is finally feeling like himself again", "NCAA College Basketball AP All-America Teams", "The 100 Greatest Moments in Sports History Almost Perfect", "Best individual title game performances", "John Wooden retrospective: Gene Bartow says he was the best teacher in history", "Bill Walton wants to be more than a cardboard cutout", "Led by Bill Walton, UCLA won 88 straight games", "40 years later Bill Walton still aches - NCAA.com", Greatest 63 games in NCAA Tournament history, "NCAA Basketball Tourney History - CBS SportsLine.com", "Bill Walton scorches Memphis State in record-setting title game", "Bill Walton Past Stats, Playoff Stats, Statistics, History, and Awards", "197475 Portland Trail Blazers Roster and Stats", "197576 Portland Trail Blazers Roster and Stats", "ESPN Classic '77 Blazers: A special team in a special time", "197677 Portland Trail Blazers Roster and Stats", "1977 NBA Western Conference First Round Chicago Bulls vs. Portland Trail Blazers", "1977 NBA Western Conference Finals Portland Trail Blazers vs. Los Angeles Lakers", "1977 NBA Finals Portland Trail Blazers vs. Philadelphia 76ers", "197778 Portland Trail Blazers Roster and Stats", "Bill Walton tells the story of how he ended up with the Celtics", "198586 Boston Celtics Roster and Stats", "1986 NBA Eastern Conference First Round Chicago Bulls vs. Boston Celtics", "1986 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals Atlanta Hawks vs. Boston Celtics", "1986 NBA Eastern Conference Finals Milwaukee Bucks vs. Boston Celtics", "1986 NBA Finals Houston Rockets vs. Boston Celtics", "Bulpett: 30 years later "86 Celtics still a team for ages", "Robert Parish prefers to leave the glory behind The Boston Globe", "USA Basketball: Men's World Championship Team History 1970", "10 Things You May Not Know About U.S. Basketball's Shocking 1972 Olympics Loss", "Three seconds that turned hoop world upside down", "Jack Ramsay: Bill Walton was the best Blazer", "A tearful Bill Walton says he's ready to make amends with Portland", "Bill Walton: 'I wish I could have done more' for the Trail Blazers", "Hiestand: Bill Walton talks about his return to ESPN", "NBA.com: BILL WALTON'S LONG STRANGE TRIP", "Bill Walton talked about Bob Dylan on air for 3 whole minutes of a basketball game", Dogs and cats, living together: Bill Walton's 'Ghostbusters' claim apparently is true, "Bill Walton hosts Grateful Dead radio show", "Bill Walton Selected for Distinguished CoSIDA Dick Enberg Award", "Lori Matsuoka ESPN Bill Walton's Wife (Bio, Wiki)", "Byron Scott and Luke Walton Join Time Warner Cable SportsNet", "Luke Walton brings passion, 'same soul' as new coach of Vlade Divac's Kings", "Bill Walton feels lucky to have Blazers honor his 1977 NBA champs in front of Lakers, Luke Walton", "Chris Walton Player Profile, San Diego State, NCAA Stats, Game Logs, Bests, Awards RealGM", "Westar Associates Hires Walton as Vice President of Leasing For Retail Portfolio", "How Bill Walton's Son Nate Made $1 Billion In The Oil Patch", "Bruce Walton on his brother Bill and football", "Walton talks about painful periods in life, Wooden, NBA finals", "Sport: Walton: Basketball's Vegetarian Tiger", "Bill Walton remembers his friend, coach", "Bill Walton has seen the Dead 850+ times", "The strange story of Grateful Dead's path to the summer's hottest ticket", "Grateful Red Bill Walton Shares Strange Journey | the Official Site of the Phoenix Suns", "Basketball legend and very tall Deadhead Bill Walton to write a book", "World's tallest Deadhead can't contain his excitement", "Basketball Legend Bill Walton and Kesey's Merry Pranksters Visit UO Libraries SCUA", "Hardcover Nonfiction Books Best Sellers Books April 17, 2016", "Author To Lecture And Sign Book About Wounded Warriors And Their Dogs", "NBA Legend Bill Walton's Career Advice: 'You Cannot Finish Unless You Start', "Meet The Goldman Alum Who Got Basketball Legend Bill Walton To Become His Company's 'Biggest' Fan", "San Diego Hall of Champions Bill Walton", "The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame:: Bill Walton", "Bill Walton Basketball | Oregon Sports Hall of Fame & Museum", "Speaker Bill Walton | Basketball Legend, Broadcaster & Humanitarian", "Grateful Dead show gratitude to Bill Walton", "UCLA Bruin legend Bill Walton gets statue at San Diego Park", "Native La Mesan, Hall of Famer Bill Walton has Gymnasium Named 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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. UCLA's 1971-72 squad quickly became nicknamed "Walton's Gang," in honor of the 6-11 sophomore. [11], On September 6, 1985, Walton was traded by the Los Angeles Clippers to the Boston Celtics for Cedric Maxwell and a 1986 1st round draft pick (Arvydas Sabonis was later selected). [1][2], Walton's early career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) was very successful, winning the 1978 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) and an NBA championship with the Portland Trail Blazers, for which he was also named Finals MVP. 4.1Portland Trail Blazers (1974-1979) 4.1.1Injury-plagued early years (1974-1976) 4.1.2First championship and Finals MVP (1976-1977) 4.1.3MVP campaign and holdout (1977-1979) 4.2San Diego Clippers (1979-1985) 4.3Boston Celtics (1985-1987) 4.3.1Second championship and sixth man award (1985-1986) 4.3.2Injury-plagued final playing year (1986-1987) [11], Before his sophomore season, Walton underwent surgery to repair torn cartilage on his left knee. [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 team leader on defense, Walton was a superb rebounder and outlet passer to start the fast break. What a dream come true. We present them here for purely educational purposes. "Injuries [he missed games with a bad back]. An alternate broadcast featuring . CAN'T MISS: Find out which March Madness Moment was voted the greatest of all time. They couldn't have been nicer, and I became their friend. "[75], Said Walton reflecting on his career: "I loved basketball. 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. [deleted] 10 yr. ago For the curious. William Theodore Walton III (born November 5, 1952) is an American television sportscaster and former professional basketball player. [114], Walton also considers himself a fan and friend of the late writer Ken Kesey. I never spoke to anybody. Walton played in his only NBA All-Star Game in 1978 and was named to both the NBA's First All-Defensive Team and the All-NBA First Team. We found that out. I ground my body up. "It was all a matter of if he could stay healthy. "Maurice was so important in my life and in little Luke's life", Walton said. I think I can, Red.' [21], After Walton initially refused to cut his hair as an incoming freshman, Coach Wooden told Walton "we'll miss you." I've got a new knee. "He thought enough of me to make sure I was comfortable with him being on the team. Thank you Celtic nation. Viewed by many as the best-passing big man of all time, Walton was honoured as one of the NBAs 50 all-time greatest players in 1996. "Whenever there was a big moment for little Luke, big Luke would show up unannounced to make sure it all turned out right. "[36], UCLA had to come back and play in the NCAA 3rd place game, in which they eventually defeated Kansas. Career Stats. "[36], UCLA finished 264 and 122 in the Pac 8 Conference, with Walton playing alongside Keith Wilkes, David Myers, and Marques Johnson. Bill Walton, UCLA center who scored a record 44 points in the final game of the NCAA basketball tournament at St. Louis, lies on the floor where he had fallen when he was injured with just. It's not like he attempted 22 dunks, and still, he missed only once all game. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. North Carolina State defeated the Bruins 8077 in double overtime in the NCAA semi-finals. [23], In the 25-team 1972 NCAA tournament, UCLA defeated Weber State 9058. His career was rehabilitated during two seasons with the Boston Celtics at the end of his career. "[8], "When they would begin to rough up Bill, I would look at coach and he would give me a nod", recalled Bruce. Note, this is done in an automated way, so we apologize for any errors, & please. "[76], Overall, Walton played 468 games in his NBA career. But I'm all better now. . Data Provided By Nate was on the ballot for the 2003 California Recall election, receiving 1,697 votes. After steadily improving his game, he led the Trail Blazers in 1977 to their first NBA championship. After the successful surgery he was hospitalized for a week, and could not move freely for a year. 2 (2003), NBA Street V3 (2005), NBA 2K12 (2011), NBA 2K13 (2012), NBA 2K14 (2013), NBA 2K15 (2014), NBA 2K16 (2015) and NBA Jam: On Fire Edition (2011), and lent his voice to NBA 2K5 and NBA Shootout 2004. Bruce and I are the only brother combination in history to ever play in the Super Bowl and to win the NBA championship. Bruce was a star football player as well. I had three different periods of my life in my relationship with him: (1) when I was a high school student and he was recruiting me; (2) when I played for him when I was 17 to 21; (3) and then 36 years of being his friend. It was a humbling honor and privilege to be on the same squad as true legends Monroe Nash, Wilbur Strong, Phil Edwards, and Bruce Menser. According to Russian sports historian Robert Edelman, "when (the Soviets) saw who was and wasn't on the U.S. team, that's when they started feeling like they'd actually have a chance. Through all of it that I would be healthy at the end good at.! About strategy, statistics or plays, but never graduated. enough of me to make I... American television sportscaster and former professional basketball player to two consecutive 300 seasons and was week, and I Coach... Games for Coach KC Jones and the Sporting News NBA MVP, as well voted the greatest all. `` Walton 's 2003 TV series bill Walton had attended Stanford Law School for two while! People and character Celtics in 1985 ] [ 26 ] [ 68 ] he attempted 22 dunks, and blocks. For any errors, & please on March26, Walton was injury-prone, traded him to the Celtics... 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