Trail Blazers News: NBA Universe Mourns Loss of Portland Legend Bill Walton

The late great superstar passed away at the age of 71.

Alex Kirschenbaum

Jan 18, 2024; Stanford, California, USA; PAC-12 Network play-by-play commentator Bill Walton after the game between the Stanford Cardinal and the Washington State Cougars at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 18, 2024; Stanford, California, USA; PAC-12 Network play-by-play commentator Bill Walton after the game between the Stanford Cardinal and the Washington State Cougars at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports / Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports
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After a long battle with cancer, former Portland Trail Blazers superstar center and champion Bill Walton passed away last week at the age of 71. Since the news hit on Monday, the tributes have been pouring in from all over the hoops world.

12-time Los Angeles Lakers All-Star point guard Magic Johnson, a five-time NBA champion, sent a moving tribute via X:

Johnson's former Lakers teammate Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who preceded Walton in the lineage of great UCLA centers under John Wooden, also penned a moving memorial via X:

Another ex-Showtime Laker, Mychal Thompson, also weighed in:

The other Hall of Fame superstar on that Showtime Lakers squad, forward James Worthy, shared a revealing personal anecdote about their first encounter as professional rivals, shedding light on Walton's unique generosity and kindness:

Hall of Fame swingman Julius "Dr. J" Irving, whose Philadelphia 76ers were vanquished by Walton's Portland Trail Blazers in a six-game 1977 NBA Finals series that netted Rip City its lone NBA championship, also issued a lengthy statement on the platform:

Hall of Fame Minnesota Tiimberwolves/Boston Celtics power forward/center Kevin Garnett wrote a brief-but-heartfelt missive:

Three-time Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes posted another succinct message.

The Trail Blazers, too, posted a tribute on their own X account:

Portland selected Walton with the No. 1 pick in the 1974 draft, after he led the UCLA Bruins to back-to-back championships in 1972-73 and being named the National College Player of the Year from 1972-74. The 6-foot-11 big man powered the club to the 1977 championship and was named the '78 MVP, before foot injuries cut his prime short. After a wilderness logged languishing with his hometown San Diego (and later Los Angeles) Clippers, he reinvented himself as the Sixth Man of the Year for the 67-win Boston Celtics, who went on to net him his second title.

More Trail Blazers: Former Portland Finals MVP Bill Walton Passes Away Aged 71

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Alex Kirschenbaum

ALEX KIRSCHENBAUM

Clyde, Rick Barry, and Pistol Pete Now these players, could never be beat.

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