Basketball Fans Remembered Bill Walton With Their Favorite Clips Of Him
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Bill Walton died on Monday at the age of 71 after a lengthy battle with cancer, leaving a massive hole in the basketball world that cannot truly be filled. Walton was as genuinely unique a figure as the sport has ever had. An all-time great player who is remembered by most fans today as one of the most eccentric and entertaining figures in basketball, bringing his joy and verve for life and the game of basketball to our TV screens for more than 30 years after his playing career ended.
Walton was endlessly curious, constantly seeking out new information and gleefully presenting it to the public in the middle of game broadcasts, whether it made sense in the moment or not. What was so unique about Walton, the broadcaster, is rarely did he go on tangents that felt like rants, airing grievances about what the game or the world had become. Instead, he would excitedly discuss some historical fact about bridges, trees, animals, bodies of water, music, or whatever else popped into his head, and seamlessly go right back to yelling “THROW IT DOWN, BIG MAN” as someone dunked in front of him.
Two generations of basketball fans grew up with Walton, one with his NBA work on NBA and then ABC/ESPN, and another with his college hoops work for ESPN and the Pac-12 Network. The latter is when Walton really got loose, typically partnered with Dave Pasch (and later Jason Benetti) and actively tried to sabotage their professionalism. Upon news of Walton’s death on Monday, fans remembered him in the only way they could, by posting their favorite videos of Walton, living life, speaking about players, and calling games as only he could.
You sent me an email in 2020 that said:
————-
PUT THE MUSIC ON,
as soon as it doesn’t seem right,
change the music/station,
but don’t turn it off
—————
I promise, the music will always be on.
I’ll miss you dearly, you marvelous, vivid, wonderful pic.twitter.com/aNMaAzRS6D
— Jason Benetti (@jasonbenetti) May 27, 2024
The best of Bill Walton on commentary: pic.twitter.com/MqwNQZj2dg
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) May 27, 2024
Bill Walton forever pic.twitter.com/doTKjhJcSd
— Zach Harper (@talkhoops) May 27, 2024
One of the best broadcasts ever done. RIP Legend. pic.twitter.com/Uu6j9ieW0K
— bson (@bsonnn4) May 27, 2024
Bill Walton might be one of the most interesting things to ever happen to mankind. pic.twitter.com/u9JSE6VtjG
— Justin Spears (@JustinESports) December 22, 2017
During the 1974 NBA draft, Bill Walton was backpacking across the country
He didn't know he was drafted first overall until a grocery store worker told him pic.twitter.com/nRT7HXBOCc
— ESPN (@espn) June 7, 2023
Found Bill Walton asking for his bike back and it's better than I remembered pic.twitter.com/ZhfOmq6WHp
— ¡BUM CHILLUPS AKA SPENCER HALL! (@edsbs) June 15, 2017
bill walton talks about nikola jokic exactly how you’d think, via @NickKosmider https://t.co/QXqYCgY2iN pic.twitter.com/AucVFUkJiz
— James Herbert (@outsidethenba) December 24, 2018
“When I think of Boris Diaw, I think of Beethoven in the age of the romantics.”
– Bill Walton
— Zito (@_Zeets) May 27, 2024
Bill Walton as Father Time at the Dead & Company NYE show 2020. A true American original pic.twitter.com/FKlifjVkjj
— Otto Von Biz Markie (@Passionweiss) May 27, 2024
bill walton describing my belief system in six seconds pic.twitter.com/EIGoKTmF7c
— J. Kyle Mann (@jkylemann) August 31, 2022
Relax, clear your mind, and let Bill Walton educate you on Miles Bridges and bridges in general pic.twitter.com/DAkUFnYdWb
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) November 27, 2017
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