Bill Walton
(1952-2024)
Hall of Fame Induction: 1993
Card Shown:
2014-15 Panini Hall of Fame
Association Autographs
Position: C
Height: 6’11”
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Bill Walton was one of the greatest college basketball players of all time, leading the UCLA Bruins to two championships and dominating the college game. In the NBA Walton also won two championships, one with the Portland Trailblazers and one with the Boston Celtics. He was hampered during his professional career by injuries that prevented him from creating an even more impressive list of accomplishments.
Awards and Honors
- Playing at UCLA for legendary coach John Wooden, Walton led the Bruins to two NCAA Championships in 1972 and 1973. In the 1973 final game, Bill connected on 21 of 22 shots and scored 44 points. Many consider Walton’s performance to be the best ever in a Final Four game.
- Bill won the Naismith College Player of the Year Award three consecutive times in 1972, 1973, and 1974. The only other three-time winner of the Naismith Award is Ralph Sampson, who won the award from 1981 through 1983.
- In his third season in the NBA, Walton had 18.6 points and 14.4 rebounds per game as he led the Portland Trailblazers to the 1977 NBA Championship. He was named the Finals Most Valuable Player.
- In 1977-78 Bill was named the NBA Most Valuable Player. That same year Walton was an NBA All-Star and he was named to the All-NBA First Team and the All-Defensive First Team.
- Walton helped the Boston Celtics to win the NBA Championship in 1985-86, winning the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year Award in the process. Four other Hall of Famers teamed with Walton to win the championship: Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, and Dennis Johnson.
- Walton was selected as one of The 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996.
Points of Interest
- The UCLA Bruins championship teams rolled off a record 88 straight victories during Walton’s time at the university.
- 1976-77 and 1977-78 were the two peak years of Bill’s NBA career. He was an All-Star both years, NBA All-Defensive First Team both years, and he was All-NBA Second Team in 1976-77 and All-NBA First Team in 1977-78 when the Blazers won the championship.
- During his thirteen-year NBA career, Bill missed three full seasons and significant portions of several others with an assortment of injuries.
- As one of the most visible fans of the band the Grateful Dead, Bill was the first inductee into the Grateful Dead Hall of Honor.
- After his playing career ended, Bill served as a TV commentator for stations such as ESPN, ABC, NBC, CBS, NBA, and a host of others.
Statistics
Bill Walton Statistics
provided by Basketball-Reference.com
Personal Autograph Interaction
At the 2020 Hall of Fame Induction weekend Joshua and I met Bill Walton as he was about to enter the annual Hall of Fame Press Conference. We did not have tickets to the press conference that year but we waited in front of the entrance for the chance to meet basketball royalty. Before he went in, Bill was kind enough to sign my 2012-13 Panini Signatures Legends card numbered 10/25.
Thank you, Bill!
In-Person Autograph Photo
In 2021, Bill signed my 2012-13 Panini Signatures Legends card.