Tag: Bill Walton

Shaq gave the perfect honor to the late Bill Walton during his moving tribute

Shaq did a wonderful job paying tribute to the late Bill Walton.

During coverage of the 2024 Western conference finals, Shaquille O’Neal delivered a very moving tribute to the late Bill Walton by honoring him as a league legend.

Walton died on Monday after a prolonged battle with cancer, and the basketball world has poured out tributes to the legend on the court and on the mic.

Outside of Mike Breen’s incredibly touching tribute to Walton, Shaq’s tribute to the fellow NBA big man resonated pretty hard on Tuesday.

After all, Walton helped pave the way for big men like Shaq to dominate in the NBA. The NBA great honored Walton by saying that “we definitely lost one of the Four Fathers of The Big Man Alliance.”

That’s pretty awesome for Shaq to recognize Walton like this, as a great recognized a great in such a meaningful way.

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Mike Breen told a truly beautiful story about the late Bill Walton on ESPN

This Bill Walton story from Mike Breen is pretty remarkable.

Beloved basketball legend Bill Walton died on Monday after a prolonged battle with cancer, as tributes have poured in from all around the sports world.

One in particular from basketball broadcaster Mike Breen really made an impact, as Breen told an absolutely beautiful story about Walton that really has to be heard.

We’re betting that plenty of great stories about Walton will be told in the days and weeks to come as his memory is celebrated, but Breen’s story is going to linger for a bit. We’ll let him take it from here and commend him for honoring Walton with such a lovely tribute.

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Rick Carlisle on how Bill Walton got him backstage at a Grateful Dead concert for a date

That date he took is now his wife, one of many such moments Bill changed other people’s lives.

Hall of Fame Boston Celtics center Bill Walton was a force of nature in life, and his recent passing has brought back many moments from the Celtics champ’s charmed life on and off the court — rest in peace.

Most Boston fans are familiar with the lore around him bringing his 1986 Celtics title squad teammates to see the Grateful Dead (excepting Danny Ainge, who was boring), and evidently the music caught on with a few teammates in particular. One of them was Rick Carlisle, today’s head coach of the Indiana Pacers, who shared how that love for the Dead had Walton help get him backstage for a show on his first date with his now-wife.

It’s a touching anecdote that there are countless of in the wake of a truly great man’s life; check it out for yourself in this clip put together by our friends over at CLNS Media.

If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Rick Carlisle on Bill Walton and 1986 Boston Celtics practices

Carlisle took some time to share a story of his time practicing with Walton for Boston in 1986.

While there was plenty for the Boston Celtics and their fans to celebrate in their Game 4 win over the Indiana Pacers on this past (May 27) Monday night at Gainsbridge Fieldhouse, some very tough news breaking a few hours before tipoff made the night a somber one for many.

With news of the death of Hall of Fame Boston big man Bill Walton breaking, former Celtics teammates like Indiana head coach Rick Carlisle were blindsided and clearly impacted by the loss. Carlisle took some time to share a story of his time practicing with Walton for Boston in 1986, the year of their sole title won together.

The folks over at CLNS Media captured it for us to reflect on while we pay our respects to the life and career of this truly larger-than-life figure in the wider Celtics community. Rest in peace, Bill.

If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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USC basketball standout Chevez Goodwin appreciates Bill Walton

Chevez Goodwin thanked Bill Walton for inspiring him to be better.

The Pac-12 family and the USC community join UCLA in grieving the loss of Bill Walton, one of the greatest basketball players of all time and a one-of-a-kind personality who left a large imprint on many lives. Walton’s impact on American sports and culture was extensive. He was a dominant college player under iconic coach John Wooden at UCLA. He won an NBA championship with the Portland Trail Blazers in 1977, then nine years later with the 1986 Boston Celtics. Walton’s second career as a broadcaster enabled him to tour the Pac-12 and create all sorts of friendships with people throughout the conference. Walton died on Memorial Day weekend, shortly after the last Pac-12 sporting event, the Pac-12 Baseball Tournament, ended. One USC Trojan who fondly remembers Walton is Chevez Goodwin.

USC was a very successful basketball program earlier this decade. The Trojans made the NCAA Tournament in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Chevez Goodwin was part of that run of success, helping USC with his gritty defense and rugged rebounding.

Goodwin sent a note of thanks and appreciation to Walton after the UCLA legend’s death. It’s a reminder of how many lives Bill Walton touched, and how — beneath the television bluster — existed the heart of a generous, warm human being.

https://x.com/ChevezGoodwin/status/1795174720846938374

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Boston Celtics Hall of Famer Bill Walton dead at 71: Bob Ryan pays tribute

Walton was viewed as one of the most dominant centers to ever play and was a winner at every level

The world lost a giant in every sense of the world when news broke that Boston Celtics Hall of Fame big man Bill Walton passed away after a long battle with cancer on this past Monday (May 27). Walton played two seasons with the Celtics, helping the team win its 16th NBA Championship in 1986.

Walton was viewed as one of the most dominant centers to ever play and was a winner at every level. He captured two state titles at Helix High in La Mesa, Calif., two NCAA titles with UCLA and two NBA titles, one with the Portland Trail Blazers in 1977 and the one with the Celtics in 1986.

Celtics beat writer emeritus Bob Ryan paid Walton tribute after the terrible news broke, via CLNS Media. Take a look at the clip embedded below to hear what he had to say about a great light in the world going out — rest in peace, Bill.

If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Dave Pasch shared amazing Bill Walton texting memories as tribute to his late broadcasting partner

These Bill Walton memories were beautiful and it has a heartbreaking ending.

The world lost one of the best basketball players to ever play the game, Bill Walton, this holiday weekend. But he was so much more than that, too.

Although he was one of the greatest to step on the court, the legendary big man will be remembered for endless other aspects of his life as well. That includes his love for the Grateful Dead and his amazing career in the booth broadcasting games as a color commentator as well.

He was complemented (and often kept on track) by his longtime broadcasting partner, Dave Pasch. The play-by-play announcer shared his memories of his late friend, Bill, on Tuesday morning.

RELATED: The profound way Bill Walton watched sports is the exact way everyone should do it

Pasch posted a Twitter thread sharing screenshots of his texts with Walton. The two-time NBA champion had nicknames for himself (“Solar”) as well as Pasch (who he affectionally referred to as the nickname “Coal”).

Walton would often text Pasch during games that he was broadcasting independently of the 1977 NBA Finals MVP with hilarious jokes about the game.

The big man would pretend he did not know that Pasch was on the call.

Pasch noted that Walton would make silly t-shirts and placards for the Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Tournament.

The designs occasionally made fun of Pasch and the product was given to the production crew.

Some of the texts that Walton sent to Pasch were aligned with the stream-of-consciousness style that you would hear from the former NBA player when he was on the air.

His style of writing was just as out there and intergalactic as he presented.

Pasch shared that he made t-shirts to wear for their final broadcast together, whenever that happened.

Unfortunately, however, they never got a chance to have that moment to say goodbye to each other while calling a game.

In what was actually their final broadcast together, the two made up a story about how Chewbacca was actually based on Walton.

Pasch will always have the beautiful memories and texts (and this amazing t-shirt, among many others) to remember his late friend.

The world will always remember Walton as so much larger than life, and Pasch’s stories perfectly embody exactly that.

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Photos of Bill Walton’s iconic broadcasting career

Bill Walton with the mic was truly something special.

Bill Walton was a national treasure. From his playing days at UCLA to a legendary NBA career, and finally leaving his footprint on the world of college basketball play-by-play.

Walton passed away on Memorial Day after a long battle with cancer, sparking reactions from the entire sports world.

The voice and demeanor of Bill Walton, somebody who provided a ton of joy, happiness, and laughs calling games, is going to be missed by everybody.

Here is a rundown of some of the best photos from Bill Walton’s career as a broadcaster, and there are plenty of notable moments to choose from.

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle recalls touching story about Bill Walton

Bill was one of a kind.

As the basketball community mourns the loss of UCLA Bruins legend Bill Walton, a flood of admiration and stories have emerged.

This week, Indiana Pacers head coach and Celtic teammate of Walton, Rick Carlisle, recalled a story of how the Grateful Dead super fan Walton helped him prepare for his first date in 1987.

“Our first date was to a Dead show in D.C., and I called Bill and said, ‘Look, Bill, I got a date with a girl who’s pretty cool. I’d love to go to the Dead show. I don’t have any tickets. Could you help?'”

Carlisle continued with a smile, “He said, ‘Go to the back door and ask for Dennis McElhaney. Tell him you’re Rick Carlisle from the Boston Celtics, and everything will be just fine.”

Walton was correct. Carlisle’s first date was with his future wife, Donna Nobile, and another example of how the iconic UCLA Bruin touched and improved the lives of everyone he met.

Bill Walton and Bear Bryant are forever linked in sports history

The timing of the death of Bill Walton offers an eerie callback to the death of Bear Bryant in 1983.

The death of Bill Walton was conspicuous for its timing. We all know Bill loved the Pac-12 Conference and was one of its biggest cheerleaders. Everyone has noticed the simple fact that Walton died right after the last Pac-12 sporting event (the Pac-12 Baseball Tournament) ended, and before any Pac-12 teams played a single game in their new conferences. Walton lived long enough to see the Pac-12 complete its final sports season from start to finish. He will not live in a world with UCLA in the Big Ten and Arizona in the Big 12. We all miss Bill, and we wish he was still with us, but one can’t deny the power and poetry of the timing of his death. In dying at a very specific point in time, Walton has become linked with another American college sports icon, Bear Bryant of Alabama.

How are Walton and Bryant connected? It’s actually not as complicated as it seems. Walton’s death coming at the end of the Pac-12’s existence conveys the idea that Walton didn’t want to live in a world without the Pac-12. He died of cancer, but also of a broken heart.

Bear Bryant’s death also carried — like Walton’s — an unmistakable message with its own timing. Bryant died in January of 1983. This was one month after coaching his final game for Alabama in the 1982 Liberty Bowl versus Illinois. Bryant coached for a quarter of a century at Alabama. He coached football for nearly half a century. He was a head coach for nearly 40 years. Football coaching was his life. As soon as he retired, he died.

Bear Bryant loved football coaching the way Bill Walton loved the Pac-12. A world without their first loves was a world Bear and Bill simply couldn’t bear.

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