He was one of the greatest high school and college basketball players in history. He still holds the high school record for field goal shooting percentage, .783, and had the third-highest number of rebounds of all time in that same senior season, leading his team to a 33-0 record. In his two healthy years (sophomore and junior) of college play, the UCLA Bruins ran the table, 60-0. In the NCAA final game in his junior year, he shot 21 for 22 from the floor. From the middle of his junior year in high school until a loss to Notre Dame in his senior year of college, his teams won 142 consecutive games. That is a record even Kareem never equaled, although he came close. (Kareem won 71 in a row in high school before losing one in his senior year. He won his first 64 in college.)
Walton’s NBA career was hampered by injuries. In his first eight NBA seasons, he played only 223 games, missing three seasons altogether. Despite his lack of playing time, he won two championships, a league MVP and a finals MVP.
His playing career, as good as it was, seems like just a prelude to his career as a broadcaster and overall ambassador for basketball. On the air, he was always upbeat and positive, if sometimes incomprehensible. As his CBS obit said, “He was known for his entertaining, and at times incoherent, style.” Most important of all, everyone who knew him regarded him as a good person, and considered him a charming broadcaster.
At least when they could figure out what he was talking about.
For two years, the best all-around NBA center I have ever seen- and my memories go back to Russell and Chamberlain. And then after all the bad breaks (literal), he had the deserved fortune to play a key role on maybe the best team ever.
One of the greatest along with Russell and Unseld at starting the break and unequalled as a passing center down low. He was like a human gumball machine in the middle.
One of the most engaging and intelligent sports talking heads ever and all-around cool dude.
RIP #5 (and 32).
All of Frank Caliendo’s subjects are dying. At least some of his best ones.
I think Kareem Abdul Jabbar was the greatest, but my dad said Jabbar didn’t work hard enough on defense and that lots of times he didn’t even run down court ..and that he didn’t really try, except during the playoffs.
You have Kareem confused with Roger Murdock. Common mistake.
Even broke-down Walton on the ’86 Celtics bench just seemed unfair.
he kinda had the California beach dude vibe that tricked people into thinking he wasn’t tough or intelligent. That Portland 1977 NBA championship against the Sixers seemed improbably. The Sixers had raided the ABA of some of best players … Dr J, George McGinnis to go with Darrel Dawkins, Henry Bibby and Doug Collins
One of his life story bio vids re: UCLA Walton was pissed re: Nixon, Vietnam, Watergate etc and long story short coach Wooden told him to send a letter to Nixon expressing his feelings instead of protesting. So Walton sent Nixon a letter telling him to resign and a couple mos later Nixon resigned. 🙂
Walton said once again Coach Wooden was correct re: how to get things done. ✔ 😛