The NBA released a statement Monday announcing the passing of NBA legend Bill Walton. Walton had been battling cancer, according to the release.
The following has been released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/fdlty5X3F5
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 27, 2024
While Walton never played for the Kings during his Hall Of Fame career, he still had ties to the Kings. Walton was a commentator for national broadcasts for years, but also would serve as color commentator for Kings broadcast over the years, giving Jerry Reynolds a night off from time to time. This is where Walton famously declared “I want a 12-inch from De’Marcus Cousins”, a hilarious quote that doesn’t even crack the top 10 of funny things Walton uttered on television.
Walton also gave us the great joy of him pounding a drum in Arco Arena while wearing a Sacramento Kings Grateful Dead shirt.
Walton is also the father of former Kings head coach Luke Walton. Our thoughts and condolences are with Luke and the rest of Bill’s family.
This is a loss for the entire NBA community, as Bill Walton was a tremendous character and ambassador for the game. He accomplished so much as a professional and as a person, and he enjoyed the hell out of his life. We should all be so lucky.
Rest in peace, big fella.
RIP Walton! And Fuck Cancer!
RIP to an NBA legend and by all accounts, a great human being.
Walton called a lot of the King’s playoff games during those glory years in the early 2000’s. I’ll always remember his catchphrase “Throw it down big man, throw it down”!
Excellent player, unique human being.
RIP.
This hits me hard. I will have a year after my prostatectomy in a few weeks. So far I have no detectable cancer.
This is great, good luck!
Thank you.
RIP, big fella. You made the NBA and the world a more interesting and fun place.
This is one of the things that the internet does well-
Reading the stories, seeing the clips and tributes to Bill Walton has been both melancholy and marvelous today.
There is much to honor Big Red. His historic NCAA career with John Wooden (22-24 in a Finals game!) his majestic 1977 Blazers championship team, his awful foot injuries, his return as a super 6 for Boston, His overcoming his speech impediment to be a zany adorable and annoying broadcaster. Dead Head.
A joyful soul, he will be missed.
21-22 FG, my error.
Only player to get MVP, Finals MVP amd 6MoY
I loved Bill Walton as a player and commentator. Actually got to meet him in person by chance when I happened to fly on the same plane as the Celtics on their opening season game against the Nets back in 1985.
The line I remember the most from him was when he was color-commentating a Kings game when the Kings had Quincy Douby (remember him?!). Walton said something to the effect of, ‘With a name like Douby, who needs a reliable jump shot!’
The man had more character in his pinky finger than most people have in there entire body. RIP.
I should know more about this man, but I simply don’t, aside from knowing his name and his voice. He reminded me of Howard Cosell, about whom I also knew next to nothing.
I wish that he rest in peace and that his family feel some relief and passage of pain in his moving on.
Saying a Kings team that didn’t make the playoffs could beat the two teams that are likely to make the Finals are some serious purple colored glasses. You might as well declare the Bulls could beat Celtics and Mavs in a 7 game series. The proof is in the pudding.
And yet the Kings split the series with the Mavs.
And yes, I agree, it is undeniable that even the Bulls could beat either team in a 7-game series.
My overall point, which you’ve helped to solidify, remains the same: This year’s finals teams are weak.
Both of those wins against Dallas came before the deadline and one of those didn’t have Kyrie
Post deadline, when the Mavs drastically improved, Dallas beat the Kings, including a near 40 point blowout in the first and a Kings blown 20 point lead in the second.
Calling a 64 win Boston team weak is beyond the pale. They had the league’s best offense (including the 2nd most 3pt makes in a single season) and 2nd best defense. If they are weak, then the whole damn league is weak.
But it isn’t beyond the pale when comparing either team with any championship finals team over the last ten years.
Or even against this year’s aforementioned finals contenders.
It’s just a stinky year, like the bubble year when the Lakers magically won.
This year is simply like a bubble year. I’d give them both an asterisk.
Why is it like the bubble year? How is it different from last year?
Wins are wins, losses are losses. No excuses.
“Kings games in Sacramento are a raucous, joyous, celebration of life.” That was one of my favorite on air lines of his during the glory days. Also, “Peja Stojakavic at the free throw line is like violins…it’s like Mozart.”
RIP
“He accomplished so much as a professional and as a person, and he enjoyed the hell out of his life. We should all be so lucky.”
Well said.
RIP
Badge Legend