Bill Walton RIP

[Zyme]

The college BB just got a whole lot less colorful. Bill Walton (November 5, 1952 – May 27, 2024) passed away after a fight against cancer.
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/402 ... on-dies-71

[Greenblood]

Had no idea he was ailing. Can't remember if he was still on college basketball broadcasts this last season or not. I do recall his great unhappiness at the demise of the PAC conference as he knew it.

[greenyellow]

Sad day that Bill is no longer around but it's almost fitting that he died shortly after the final Pac-12 event ever. I grew up listening to him call NBA on NBC games with Marv Albert and Bob Costas back in the day so was always happy to hear his voice on Pac-12 games. Once I found out all he went through with the surgeries, pain, and near suicide attempts from his playing days, it made it easier to appreciate his eccentricities on-air.

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[greenyellow]

[73duck]

I am an old guy, and saw most of the stars of his era play live, notably Alcindor, Bill Bradley (the night he went for 58), and Pete Maravich. Bill Walton was the best college basketball player I ever saw.

[greenyellow]

[Duck07]

He was 1 of 1.

[Merganzer]

Not even close, Walton is my favorite non-Duck. Not only for his greatness as a player, with barely any equal, perhaps Kareem, who Bill and the Blazers swept in the Western Conference Finals in '77, and in broadcasting, where he also stood out, along with Madden.