Bill Walton's coworkers express their gratitude for his life by sharing their most cherished memories.
Walton stood out as a true American original, a remarkable individual deserving of a documentary. He possessed a multitude of roles and accomplishments, each equally significant. He was renowned for his exceptional skills as a college basketball player at UCLA, an influential activist who faced arrest while protesting the Vietnam War, and an NBA champion with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Additionally, he served as an invaluable backup to Robert Parish and Kevin McHale during the Boston Celtics' triumphant 1986 season. Furthermore, Walton took pride in being the father of four college basketball players and one NBA champion.
Despite overcoming a stutter, he became a divisive yet captivating broadcaster, dedicating multiple decades to his craft. Known for his tie-dye attire and love for Bob Dylan and Neil Young, Walton also became a cult figure for ESPN and the Pac-12 Network.
On Monday, Walton passed away at the age of 71 after a courageous battle with cancer. Later that day, I reached out to individuals in the broadcasting industry who had collaborated with Walton to gather their cherished anecdotes about him. Below are some of their recollections of Walton’s World.
Dave Pasch, ESPN broadcaster
Over the course of a 12-year professional partnership, there are countless memories that are formed when you spend a significant amount of time with someone. Our working relationship began even earlier, back in 2006 during my first year in the NBA, although Bill humorously denied that it ever occurred (chuckles).
Our final game together, which took place on February 1 at USC, serves as a prime example of Bill’s delightful personality. While at USC, the topic of George Lucas and “Star Wars” unexpectedly arose. I playfully inquired about his audition for the role of Chewbacca. Bill shared that he did audition for the part but was not selected (referring to him as “Chewybacca”), yet claimed that the character was modeled after him. We concocted this story on the spot, and the following day, it had spread like wildfire in the media. Even People Magazine picked it up. Hollywood journalists were digging up old quotes from Lucas to debunk our fabricated tale about Chewbacca being inspired by Bill. In the midst of a basketball broadcast, he embraced the whimsical narrative, a move that very few would dare to make.