UCLA Basketball: Hoops World's Moving Bill Walton Tributes

Hall of Fame center Bill Walton, one of the best players in UCLA Bruins basketball history, passed away last week at the age of 71, following a battle with colon cancer.

The 6-foot-11 big man won three National College Player of the Year awards and a pair of NCAA titles during his tenure with the Bruins, with whom he played from 1971-74 (he redshirted his freshman year, as all John Wooden-era freshmen did). He was the no-brainer No. 1 draft pick by the Portland Trail Blazers, and went on to win a championship, a Finals MVP and a league MVP before being felled by a string of foot injuries.

A flood of tributes from the basketball universe came his way in the days following his death.

Eventual Lakers All-Star Jamaal Wilkes, who served alongside Walton on those championship Bruins squads, issued a statement to The Los Angeles Times' Ben Bolch:

Jamaal Wilkes continued on Bill Walton:

"Thank you for your awesome basketball career.

Thank you for your incredible broadcast career.

Thank you for spreading joy in the world.

Keep a light on, dear friend.

SHINE ON!

R.I.P. Bill Walton"
— Ben Bolch (@latbbolch) May 29, 2024

Julius "Doctor J" Erving, a Hall of Fame NBA/ABA swingman whose Philadelphia 76ers fell to Walton's Blazers during the 1977 Finals, reflected on his passing.

I am sad today hearing that my comrade & one of the sports worlds most beloved champions & characters has passed. Bill Walton enjoyed life in every way. To compete against him & to work with him was a blessing in my life. Sorry for your loss Walton family. We’ll miss him too. Doc pic.twitter.com/GAEt1DRH8N
— Julius Dr J Erving (@JuliusErving) May 27, 2024

Philadelphia 76ers team president Daryl Morey, long a student of the game and its history, paid tribute to Walton on his own X account:

RIP Bill Walton - my favorite example of his endless commitment to helping others is when he stepped in to assist the Lithuanian national basketball team as they broke away from the Soviet Union before facing the original Dream Team in 1992 pic.twitter.com/eZVtBZMOBX
— Daryl Morey 🗽🏀 (@dmorey) May 27, 2024

Rachel Nichols of Showtime and Fox Sports 1 shared a fun anecdote:

My favorite Bill Walton experience: when he came to visit us at The Jump, saw a framed photo we had on set of Bill Russell (his favorite player), and simply walked over, grabbed it - and took it home. The whole thing was absolutely delightful. What a force; he will be so missed pic.twitter.com/yCwVQNjQbN
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) May 27, 2024

The Ringer's Chris Vernon shared a letter Walton wrote to his son in noting his passing:

RIP Bill Walton. One of my absolute favs. He wrote this letter to my son. Will treasure it forever. pic.twitter.com/m8LY3psZnx
— Chris Vernon (@ChrisVernonShow) May 27, 2024

During his Bruins career, Walton logged averages of 20.3 points on 65.1 percent shooting from the field, 15.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists per bout. Not too shabby.

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