The tributes are pouring in. RIP.
Kareem:
Today I had to say goodbye to
— Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (@kaj33) May 27, 2024
a great friend that I will always miss….@UCLAAthletics @UCLAMBB @NBA pic.twitter.com/JIA3sORJgY
On John Wooden:
What can a great coach teach you about leadership?
— RetirementUnity.com đź‘Ť (@RetirementUnity) May 27, 2024
NBA legend #BillWalton learned from the best – UCLA coach John Wooden
Walton shares lessons of leadership he learned from Wooden & others during his storied career, principles that transfer off the court too
RIP Bill Walton pic.twitter.com/VuvalIQ99i
ESPN radio host Chris Carlin:
A year later, we reached out to him to record a 20 second "Happy 10th Anniversary" message to Mike & Chris, again on the phone. He insisted on going to a RECORDING STUDIO to do it.
— Chris Carlin (@ChrisCarlin) May 27, 2024
The message he recorded was 10 minutes. He went into a soliloquy about MMD's greatness… (2/8) pic.twitter.com/OGGZg72sON
At one point, he did an informercial for a Grateful Dead box set. He took a "call from a fan" on the program.
— Chris Carlin (@ChrisCarlin) May 27, 2024
Caller: "Bill, man, I saw Jerry & the boys in Ithaca in '77. It was a lifechanging experience, man."
Bill: "And those amazing vibes from that Ithaca show… (4/8) pic.twitter.com/pLoQXvRNiL
Last one, and this one belongs to the great @richackerman.
— Chris Carlin (@ChrisCarlin) May 27, 2024
Bill was at Canucks / Rangers Game 7 Stanley Cup Final in 1994 at MSG. Ack walks up to him and says, "Bill what are you doing HERE?"
Walton: "When there's a championship to be decided, I'll be in the building." (6/8) pic.twitter.com/LgCzO1VmsU
RIP, Big Red. May Jerry be waiting for you at the gates, ready to jam. (8/8) pic.twitter.com/83e08oGFWK
— Chris Carlin (@ChrisCarlin) May 27, 2024
Rick Carlisle:
"I have him to thank for me being married to my wife Donna. Our first date was to a (Grateful) Dead show in Washington DC."
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) May 27, 2024
Rick Carlisle says Bill Walton helped him get special tickets to a Grateful Dead show. pic.twitter.com/QbsByFXPfe
Taking his Celtics teammates to a Grateful Dead show:
Bill Walton talking about his Celtics teammates seeing the Grateful Dead for the first time. The joy he had talking about his favorite band is something we can all easily relate to.
— Scott Marks (@bizarchive) May 27, 2024
pic.twitter.com/IqP878DtDk
Activist:
Bill Walton at a UCLA anti-war protest in 1972 and getting arrested by LAPD pic.twitter.com/Q95DafgXDc
— Wu Tang is for the Children (@WUTangKids) May 27, 2024
Wooden:
The Wooden Award sends its love and condolences to the family of Bill Walton. Bill was one of the best friends the Wooden Award had in an advocate for the goodness of John R. Wooden. We loved Bill Walton & Bill Walton loved John Wooden – together now in everlasting life. 🙏🏽🇺🇸🏀 pic.twitter.com/zJSLdKBjkP
— John R. Wooden Award (@WoodenAward) May 27, 2024
Nancy Pelosi:
Bill Walton brought excellence, grit and joy to everything he did — from basketball to broadcasting to political advocacy.
— Nancy Pelosi (@TeamPelosi) May 27, 2024
We’ll miss Bill at the games, the Grateful Dead concerts and in the halls of Congress.
My deepest condolences to Lori and to the entire Walton family. -NP pic.twitter.com/GP9Tjb2Ciu
On Liberty University:
Bill Walton was one of the few broadcasters who wasn’t afraid of telling Liberty to eat shit. pic.twitter.com/IqTgy2MCTR
— Mike Beauvais (@MikeBeauvais) May 27, 2024
More Wooden:
Great story on Bill Walton from John Wooden
— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) May 27, 2024
“He told me after his player of the year and national championship season I didn’t have the right to have him wear his hair shorter. I said that’s right, but I have the right to determine who plays, and we are going to miss you” pic.twitter.com/BGCOKhfnPi
On grizzly bears:
So bummed to hear about Bill Walton. He leant a vital voice countering the tired argument that athletes should “just shut and dribble.” Bill knew sports was a platform to encourage progress.
— Ben Mankiewicz (@BenMank77) May 27, 2024
As an announcer, he was confounding – in all the right ways. I loved listening to him. pic.twitter.com/kTg7iU1JeW
Roxy Bernstein:
This tribute from ESPN's @roxybernstein to the @Pac12 from Saturday night is even more meaningful today with the visuals and nod to Bill Walton.
— bill hofheimer (@bhofheimer_espn) May 27, 2024
"Thank you for my life."pic.twitter.com/YLbQ61LRTN
Jay Bilas:
.@JayBilas remembers Bill Walton ❤️
— ESPN (@espn) May 27, 2024
"He may have been the greatest college basketball player of all time. He was an all-time great pro as well. … But more than that … He was an absolutely magnificent, beautiful person that you just loved to be around at all times." pic.twitter.com/oolIQZxrbu
Today’s Daily News:
Here's our @nydnsports back page. @apse_sportmedia #billwalton https://t.co/QWWTdppChY pic.twitter.com/OsdcLHd4if
— Back Page Guy NYDN (@BackPageGuyNYDN) May 27, 2024
“Like a radio wave”:
Bill Walton shares the time he hit the longest home run ever
— BaseballHistoryNut (@nut_history) May 27, 2024
Must watch
RIP pic.twitter.com/QeZCqsOOhB
Goodbye Bill!:
Love this shot of Bill Walton taken by UCLA fan Richard Ofstein in March 2022 in the bowels of Pauley Pavilion. Writes Ofstein: “He is alone in his element where he starred as a player and delighted, amazed and at times befuddled his audience as an announcer. RIP. I loved him.” pic.twitter.com/EidSZBIcGz
— Ben Bolch (@latbbolch) May 27, 2024