Bill Walton, NBA Legend And Broadcaster, Dead At 71

Bill Walton, an NBA Hall of Fame center who got his start at UCLA before winning NBA championships with the Portland Trail Blazers and the Boston Celtics, has died.

Walton, 71, passed away after “a prolonged battle with cancer,” the NBA said in a statement Monday.

Following a stellar college career, Walton was the NBA’s MVP in the 1977-78 season and a two-time champion as a player. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993 after a 10-year NBA playing career blighted by chronic foot injuries.

Walton entered broadcasting in 1990 as an analyst. After working for CBS Sports and NBC, he joined ESPN in 2002 and later began calling games with the network in his trademark freewheeling style.

“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. Bill then translated his infectious enthusiasm and love for the game to broadcasting, where he delivered insightful and colorful commentary which entertained generations of basketball fans.”

“But what I will remember most about him was his zest for life,” Silver went on. “He was a regular presence at league events ― always upbeat, smiling ear to ear and looking to share his wisdom and warmth. I treasured our close friendship, envied his boundless energy and admired the time he took with every person he encountered.”

“As a cherished member of the NBA family for 50 years, Bill will be deeply missed by all those who came to know and love him,” Silver said. “My heartfelt condolences to Bill’s wife, Lori;