[48][46], In 197677 season Walton played in 65 games and, spurred by new head coach Jack Ramsay, Walton and a newly acquired ABA draftee in Maurice Lucas, the Trail Blazers became the Cinderella team of the NBA. It's not like he attempted 22 dunks, and still, he missed only once all game. Bill was unable to play a complete game without resting. Nate was on the ballot for the 2003 California Recall election, receiving 1,697 votes. Walton eventually signed with the San Diego Clippers when he became a free agent in 1979. 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. William T. "Bill" Walton. He played 20 minutes in his last game for UCLA and Coach Wooden. Bill Walton is a 6-11 junior center from Helix, Calif. who is the best college basketball player ever. What a dream come true. ("Tell your old man to drag Walton and Lanier up and down the court for 48 minutes! Overall in 197273, Walton averaged 20.4 points and 16.9 rebounds in 30 games on 65.0% shooting, as UCLA again finished 300 (140 in the Pac-8 conference). Bill Walton was inducted to the Hall of Fame as a Player in 1993 (Full List) Crum first saw Walton in 1968 as a high school junior and was at first dubious when hearing of Walton, but went to scout him anyway. And we were able to go out and win a championship. He had 24 and 16 at halftime. "[11], In Walton's senior year, UCLA's 88-game winning streak ended with a 7170 loss at Notre Dame on January 19, 1974. [50][46], In the 1977 postseason, Walton led #3 seed Portland to series victories over the Chicago Bulls with Artis Gilmore (21) and the Denver Nuggets with Dan Issel (42). [citation needed] Walton has said repeatedly in his broadcasts that he is just as much to blame for taking the medication as the doctor was for giving it to him. "[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%. After appearing in just 14 games in his first year with San Diego, Walton sat out the entire 198081 and 198182 seasons because of more foot problems. [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. [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. I mean, we were good from top to bottom. "I was a skinny, scrawny guy. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. I'm very proud of this team. Bill Walton was one of the greatest college basketball players in history. Walton would takes passes that weren't necessarily intended to be alley-oops and he score an alley-oop layup off of them. "I didn't want to play and I told Coach Wooden that. The vitals for Bill Walton School: UCLA Position: Center Height: 6-11 Weight: 210 pounds Years active: 1971-74 NCAA tournament record: 11-1 College averages: 20.3 points per game, 15.7. [46][11], Due to injuries, Walton spent more time on the disabled list than on the court with his hometown team. Thank you people of New England. He averaged 18.6 points, 14.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 3.2 blocks and Portland finished 4933. That's the best team I've ever been on, no question about that. He played college basketball for coach John Wooden and the UCLA Bruins, winning three consecutive national college player of the year awards (19721974), while leading UCLA to NCAA championships in 1972 and 1973 and an 88-game winning streak. But I will take one. He currently is a college assistant coach at San Diego Mesa College. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Wooden said Walton is the best center he had ever seen in throwing outlet passes. We present them here for purely educational purposes. When UCLA led Memphis State 35-30, Walton wasn't that far behind the Tigers with his individual point total of 20. "Coach Wooden never talked about winning and losing, but rather about the effort to win. In 1972-73, they were 30-0 again and won four . Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. I've never seen a player so dominating as Walton. An alternate broadcast featuring . He rung up 2,402 points over his collegiate career and was selected as an All-American three times. Walton took music lessons, and although his parents were not sports-oriented, Walton followed in the footsteps of his older brother Bruce, who had gravitated toward sports. I was a very shy, reserved player and a very shy, reserved person. Walton was inducted into the National High School Sports Hall of Fame in 1997. Bill Walton can talk a good game when it comes to doing color commentary on college basketball telecasts, but he played a nearly perfect one as UCLA's star center in the 1973 NCAA Tournament final. Walton typically was paired with Steve "Snapper" Jones for national NBA games because he and Jones had a point-counterpoint banter during games. USA forward James Forbes told ESPN as part of a SportsCentury documentary, "If [Walton] plays, all of this becomes academic. I'm lying on the table there in the doctors examining room. [116] It remained on The New York Times bestseller list for two weeks in April 2016. And they're saying, 'Red, come here. "It was all a matter of if he could stay healthy. 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. I think I can, Red.' See our list of forfeits and vacated games for more details. [12][43][44][45], Walton was the number one overall pick by the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers in the 1974 NBA draft. "[41], Walton was drafted by the American Basketball Association's Dallas Chaparrals in the 1973 ABA draft as an underclassman in an attempt to lure him from UCLA. I'm the luckiest guy on earth. Following his retirement, he became an outspoken analyst on NBA television broadcasts. [22], Walton is a fan of the Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers Band, Neil Young, Phish, and Bob Dylan. When the Walton children were in junior high and high school, Mr. Walton formed an informal family band: Bruce and Bill played trombone or baritone, Andy played the saxophone, and Cathy played the flute. He even led the Bruins in assists in 1974 with 5.48 assists per game. [46], Portland finished the regular season 5824 and Walton returned for the 1978 NBA playoffs. Bill Walton led the Bruins to two consecutive 300 seasons and the NCAA men's basketball record 88-game winning streak. 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. A disgrace to the game of basketball, a disgrace to sport. I ground my body up. He did all that in just 33 minutes, too. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Here are the top matchups and tournaments to watch in the non-conference portion of the NCAA softball season. After losing the first two games, the Blazers won four straight to win the NBA championship. . And Red pushes his way through all the doctors, comes over. "He went on to play for the Dallas Cowboys. The UCLANorth Carolina State game was No. . 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. 1952 Coach Nash played Bill and Bruce Walton together in the paint. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? But, he made 12 of his first 13 shots and the Bruins led Notre Dame by 17 points at halftime. 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. In his first season with San Diego, Walton played 14 games for the Clippers in the 197980 season. But I'm all better now. Wow. . "[12], On Clippers owner Donald Sterling, Walton commented, "The checks bounced higher than the basketballs when Donald Sterling took over. But to win, we also felt we had to control Walton. Bill Walton was born on November 5, 1952. That's the timelessness of pain and suffering; the agonizing, the reflection and the endless questioning of yourself. "Walton could do everything, he had great timing, complete vision of the floor, had excellent fundamentals and was a great passer, both in outlet passes and in the half court. We were so young and we had always won. He won another NBA title in 1986 as a member of the Boston Celtics. Bruce was a star football player as well. We've got a game.' 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. His older brother Bruce played football at UCLA, enrolling a year ahead of Bill. His high arch, which made the foot bones susceptible to breaking, was lowered to relieve the stress on the bones. [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. I've got a new spine. Bill Walton Playoffs Game Log. "But then I would want to play another one. He has hosted several podcasts and satellite radio programs featuring the music of the Grateful Dead. [citation needed] In 2001, Walton was inducted into The Grateful Dead Hall of Honor. I found a safe place in life in basketball. "[20], "I would love to play one more game", Walton said he wished. We found that out. Walton was born and raised in La Mesa, California, the son of Gloria Anne (ne Hickey) and William Theodore "Ted" Walton. The only way to beat UCLA is to keep Walton from getting the ball and there's really no way to do it at least with our personnel. "We were able to go right through the press." Career Stats. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. "I regret that I wasn't a better person. In the NCAA championship game, he had 24 points and 20 rebounds in the Bruins' 8176 victory over Florida State. 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. Bill Walton averaged 13.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. We worked to push him out farther. In addition, during his first two years, Walton badly sprained an ankle, broke his left wrist twice, dislocated two toes, dislocated two fingers, broke a toe and injured his leg in a jeep accident. I looked up at him with the sad, soft eyes of a young man who just wanted one more chance. [82], Walton's 2003 TV series Bill Walton's Long Strange Trip aired on ESPN with Walton as subject and star. Walton was named the 1972 NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player. Center After his retirement as a player, Walton has become a successful and controversial basketball color commentator. A famous free spirit, he was known for his social activism, outspoken opinions, and devotion to the Grateful Dead rock band. It's true that Bill's game, even when he was healthy, was never about flash. Corrections? Join our linker program. [11], After the 198485 campaign, Walton called on two of the league's premier teams, the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. [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. College: UCLA High School: Helix in La Mesa, California 2x NBA CHAMPION. [64], "I knew we had something going when we got Walton", Larry Bird said on Walton and the 198586 Celtics. That's the day the oft-injured Hall of Famer, whose career had . After the successful surgery he was hospitalized for a week, and could not move freely for a year. Luke Theodore Walton (Little Wheats) Position: Small Forward and Power Forward Shoots: Right 6-8, 235lb (203cm, 106kg) . And I looked up at him, and I said, 'Red, I think I can. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Wooden would become a lifetime mentor to Walton. Walton set the record for most points in an NCAA championship game, which still stands, and was the tournament's most outstanding player. Bill Walton was a great college player, maybe the best ever. The UCLA streak contributed to a personal winning streak that lasted almost five years, in which Walton's high school, UCLA freshman (freshmen were ineligible for the varsity at that time) and UCLA varsity teams did not lose a game from the middle of his junior year of high school to the middle of his senior year in college. Here is the schedule, scores and game times for the 2023 Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, running Feb. 23-26. Or write about sports? He has been highly successful in the oil business. Some school's results have been altered by retroactive NCAA penalties. Walton continued to display his dominance during the 197778 campaign, ultimately winning the NBAs MVP award after tallying 18.9 points, 13.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 2.2 blocks per game that season. ", Bartow, after the 1973 national championship game: "Walton Walton Walton We couldn't contain Walton. His career averages were 13.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 468 regular season games. [citation needed], Said Walton of Coach Wooden: "I was John Wooden's easiest recruit. I'll never be able to wash that off, and I carry it with me forever. And I was going to go until I couldn't go anymore. Bill Walton probably had one of the best games anybody ever had in the history of college basketball."[33]. I was never so embarrassed in my life. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Bill Walton is a playable character in the video games NBA Street Vol. A better player. "[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. Learn more and register, College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com Blog and Articles. Coach Wooden never tired of telling us that once you become a good person, then you have a chance of becoming a good basketball player. He loved playing basketball, just loved it, practices, games especially away games. Walton signed with the Trail Blazers. [114], Walton also considers himself a fan and friend of the late writer Ken Kesey. [99][100], Nate Walton played basketball at Princeton. But that led to extreme efficiency. [56] Walton nonetheless won the 1978 NBA Most Valuable Player award and the Sporting News NBA MVP, as well. 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. He also won the national . Walton had 14 points, seven rebounds, and nine assists against Indiana. "Of which I had no interest in doing", Walton said. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. [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. [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. BillWalton, (Big Red, Grateful Red, Red Baron, Redwood, Chief), Position: ", Memphis State coach Murray Bartow, prior to the 1973 national championship game: "Anyone who runs with UCLA is going to lose. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. It is a stain and stigma on my soul that is indelible. Oct 23, 2021. 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. But, he played in only six games and did not start any of them. Portland lost the series to Seattle in six games. 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