Bill Walton, NBA Hall of Famer who won 2 championships, dies at 71
Bill Walton, the dominant college big man who won two NBA championships and later enjoyed a successful career as a colorful sports broadcaster, has died, the NBA announced on Monday. He was 71.
Walton died after a prolonged battle with cancer, the league said. He was surrounded by his family.
"Bill Walton was truly one of a kind," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. "As a Hall of Fame player, he redefined the center position. His unique all-around skills made him a dominant force at UCLA and led to an NBA regular-season and Finals MVP, two NBA championships and a spot on the NBA's 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams."
Walton was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1974 draft by the Portland Trail Blazers, and he led the team to its only NBA title in 1977. Named the league MVP in 1978, the 6-foot-11 Walton won another title as a member of the Boston Celtics in 1986, when he earned the Sixth Man of the Year award.
That season proved to be his last hurrah. Walton, who battled injuries throughout his career, would play just 22 more games between the regular season and playoffs before retiring in 1988, according to CBS Sports.
Before his pro career, Walton earned a legendary status at UCLA, leading the Bruins to titles in 1972 and 1973 and an 88-game winning streak. His 44 points in the national championship game in 1973 remain a record. Walton was also a three-time national player of the year at UCLA while playing for iconic coach John Wooden.
Amid his standout college career, Walton was arrested in 1972 while protesting on UCLA's campus against the Vietnam War. According to UCLA Library, Wooden himself bailed Walton out of jail.
According to Walton's