RIP Bill Walton

[willie99]

RIP, a sad day, we lost a legend

 

[I Bleed Blue]

Legendary player and absolute menace as an announcer in the best of ways. RIP

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I think at the moment he's forty minutes into a five hour conversation with Jerry that's already gone off on about seven tangents.

 

[JayKoz]

This one hurts.

RIP

 

[Jimdish255]

Bummed for a lot of reasons. Athlete, announcer, music lover, historian, and a guy who loved and seemed interested in every person he met. I don't think he ever forgot a person, place or thing he encountered, or a book he read. Though he may have forgotten universes only he visited, or what game he was at in the middle of a reminiscence. On the Westwood One post game broadcast of our previous Championship in 2013 he laid out the most effusive praise of UConn Basketball I'd ever heard. It was refreshing given the fact we always seemed to have naysayers regardless of our success. Never forgot that.

RIP Bill Walton - say hey to Jerry

 

[uchusky32]

RIP Bill.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

 

[nomar]

A lot of people on this forum have said they'd mute the TV when he was on. I always enjoyed his ramblings. "Have you ever been to a volcano?"

Of course he's not in the HOF for his color commentary. A top-10 if not top-5 college player and then an NBA MVP. And his injuries robbed him of what would have been an even greater NBA career.

 

[husky8273]

shared this before but - rode a NYC hotel elevator with him years ago and talked about UConn and JC. Regret not asking about '78 at the Pyramids.

 

[BugsyCT]

Definitely one of a kind.

 

[jibsey]

This is a tough one for me. I remember being in Memphis where I was going to school and listening on the radio to UCLA destroy Memphis State in the National Championship game with Bill doing the most damage.
As great a player as he was I truly loved watching and listening to him on tv coverage and I always had to defend his unique, funny and entertaining antics.
For some reason there were many here attacking that but each to their own. A monumental loss for the world of basketball. RIP and condolences to his family and friends.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

A gentle giant with a wonderful sense of humor. Going to miss you Bill.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

A lot of people on this forum have said they'd mute the TV when he was on. I always enjoyed his ramblings. "Have you ever been to a volcano?"

Of course he's not in the HOF for his color commentary. A top-10 if not top-5 college player and then an NBA MVP. And his injuries robbed him of what would have been an even greater NBA career.

Definitely top-4. He, Lew, Russell and Maravich have the most incredible college résumé’s.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

i thought I share one of my favorite Walton Quotesc
”“In life, being so self-conscious, red hair, big nose, freckles and goofy, nerdy-looking face and can’t talk at all. I was incredibly shy and never said a word,” Walton told The Oregonian newspaper in 2017. “Then, when I was 28 I learned how to speak. It’s become my greatest accomplishment of my life and everybody else’s biggest nightmare”
RIP Bill

 

[jibsey]

i thought I share one of my favorite Walton Quotesc
”“In life, being so self-conscious, red hair, big nose, freckles and goofy, nerdy-looking face and can’t talk at all. I was incredibly shy and never said a word,” Walton told The Oregonian newspaper in 2017. “Then, when I was 28 I learned how to speak. It’s become my greatest accomplishment of my life and everybody else’s biggest nightmare”
RIP Bill

That’s a beauty.

 

[UCTitleTown]

Really shocked when I heard the news. I didn't even know he was sick. Did he keep it secret or did I just not know?

 

[storrsroars]

Sad to hear of Bill's passing, and sad to learn that mushrooms don't prevent cancer.

 

[Edward Sargent]

Apparently prostate cancer. Hadn't heard he had cancer so he kept that to himself as he should. God bless

 

[housekeys]

Personified a generation and an era. A cultural symbol as well as a basketball icon. RIP.

 

[Waquoit]

Bill was rocking until the end. He was at a Neil Young show in late-April.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

 

[Cheddie]

I’ll never forget watching the 1973 NCAA final vs Memphis State . 44 pts on 21 of 22 . . Totally unstoppable.

That game was one of the most dominant performances I've ever seen. He had four other baskets that were disallowed because they were too close to being dunks (then banned).

Per the Athletic:
He was never close to 100% after UCLA.
He said he suffered a knee injury on the playground as a youth and was never the same. “My legs were pretty much shot by the time I got to the NBA in 1974,” Walton wrote. “I peaked when I was 12.” He had an unimaginable 39 surgeries on his legs, ankles and feet.

 

[Skiblets]

 

[salvagedsam]

Too funny!

 

[salvagedsam]

Bill Walton was a childhood hero. Phenomenal player and outspoken against the war in Vietnam. RIP, Bil.