The Legacy of Bill Walton

Bill Walton was truly one of the most unique personalities that the game of basketball has ever seen. From a storied playing career to being one of the greatest color commentators the game has seen, his legacy he left on the game has been unparalleled.

Walton’s on the court success was unmatched beginning with a storied career at UCLA under legendary coach John Wooden. While at UCLA, he was a part of the Bruins teams that won 88 games in a row and was named National Player of the Year 3 times. One of his most legendary performances was in 1973 when he had 44 points on 21/22 shooting in the national championship game.

He then followed this legendary UCLA career with success in his professional career where he played for the Portland Trailblazers, the San Diego Clippers, and the Boston Celtics. While in the NBA, he was plagued with injuries which caused excruciating pain for him over the course of his life. Despite these injuries and only playing in a total of 468 regular-season games, he was the only NBA player to have ever won an NBA MVP, NBA Finals MVP, and the 6th Man of the Year Award. He was also a 2-time NBA champion and was named as one of the top 75 NBA players ever during the league’s 75th anniversary.

Although Walton played his last game in 1987, his legacy in basketball was just beginning. Walton began working as a color commentator in 1990. Walton struggled with stuttering for much of his early life and overcame these challenges to become one of the most notable commentators the game has seen. He brought a unique style of broadcasting to the game that attracted new audiences and that always kept fans entertained. He was recognized for his talent and even went on to win an Emmy award.

Aside from all of his accomplishments on and off the court, the biggest legacy he left was the relationships he built with others and how he gave back to the basketball world. I have seen numerous social media posts where people remember as kids attending his basketball camps and the genuine relationships he built with the kids he coached for just a few days. He gave back to the basketball community in ways that no one else has. Walton helped grow the game of basketball through his storied career and helped create and innovate the beautiful game we now know.

Links to articles used: https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/bill-walton-dead-at-71-three-time-player-of-the-year-was-part-of-historic-run-at-ucla-under-john-wooden/amp/# ; https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/waltobi01.html ;