Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Bill Walton

Professional basketball player Bill Walton’s photo sourced from Wikimedia commons

Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Bill Walton

Bill Walton is recognized as one of the finest centers in NBA history and among the most elegant basketball players of all time. The 6′ 11″ centre is well-known for his commitment to the game and his accomplishments both on and off the court. Walton took an effort to be a team leader in addition to being an excellent rebounder and outlet passer to begin the layup.

Walton invented a lethal jump hook that he could shoot with either hand as an offensive force. His on-court success is well-documented, and devoted basketball fans are familiar with his name. Despite his setbacks, his nimbleness and heart, along with an optimistic view of life, allowed him to achieve remarkable success. Here are the top 10 fascinating facts about Bill Walton.

1. Walton took music lessons and also played trombone or baritone

Professional basketball player Bill Walton photo by Richard Darcey – Wikimedia commons

Walton, the son of Gloria Anne and Theodore Walton, was born and raised in La Mesa, California. Walton’s mother Gloria worked as a librarian, and his father Ted was a music instructor and social worker. His parents were passionate about music, politics, literature, and the arts.

Walton took music lessons and, despite his parents’ disinterest in athletics, he emulated his older brother Bruce, who had a preference for sports. Bruce and Bill played trombone or baritone, Andy played the saxophone, and Cathy played the flute in the informal family band that Mr Walton started when the Walton kids were in junior high and high school.

2. Walton first played organized basketball at Walton’s Catholic elementary school

Frank Graciano, a coach at Walton’s Catholic primary school, was the man who got him started in organized basketball. Basketball was made enjoyable by Coach Graciano, who also made a point to emphasize the excitement of participating in a team sport, as noted by Walton. Despite being extremely timid and reserved and having a stuttering issue, Walton claims that he found comfort in basketball.

3. Walton led Helix to win back-to-back California Interscholastic Federation Championships  

Professional basketball player Bill Walton’s photo sourced from Wikimedia commons

Walton brought his passion for basketball to high school. When he entered Helix High, his coach saw the potential he had. Walton conquered all challenges while playing for Gordon Nash’s Helix in his two varsity seasons, guiding them to 49 straight victories.

With records of 29-2 in 1968–1969 and 33-0 in 1969–1970, Helix won the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Championship in both those years. Helix finished 33-0 in Walton’s senior year, averaging 29 points and 25 rebounds per game.

4. Walton holds an all-time national record for the highest percentage of shot attempts made

Walton still holds the all-time national record for the percentage of shots made as a senior in 1969–70, making 384 of 490 attempts, or 78.3 %. Walton also ranks third all-time with 825 rebounds during that season. His 25.0 rebounds per game throughout a season rank seventh all-time. His first appearance in the national media came in 1970 when Walton was featured in the Sports Illustrated article “Faces in the Crowd” on January 26.

5. He led UCLA to NCAA championships in 1972 and 1973 

Bill Walton as a member of the UCLA Bruins photo sourced from Wikimedia commons

He was a college basketball player for Coach John Wooden’s UCLA Bruins, where he won three straight national college player of the year awards (1972–1974) and guided UCLA to NCAA titles in 1972 and 1973. Bill Walton guided the Bruins to two straight 30-0 records and an 88-game winning streak, both records for men’s basketball in the NCAA.

The UCLA run helped fuel a personal winning streak that lasted nearly five years, during which the UCLA varsity teams went undefeated from the middle of his junior year of high school through his senior year of college.

6. He received the Naismith College Player of the Year thrice

Walton won the James E. Sullivan Award in 1973 for being the best amateur athlete in the country. As the best college basketball player in 1972, 1973, and 1974, Walton also won the USBWA College Player of the Year and Naismith College Player of the Year awards. He earned recognition as an Academic All-American in 1972, 1973, and 1974. Walton is regarded by some college basketball analysts as the best player to ever compete at the collegiate level.

7. Walton was selected first overall in the 1974 NBA draft 

Professional basketball player Bill Walton’s photo sourced from Wikimedia commons

The Dallas Chaparrals of the American Basketball Association selected Walton in the underclassman round of the 1973 ABA draft to entice him away from UCLA, but he chose not to sign with them. Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA selected Walton with the first overall pick in the 1974 NBA Draft. Walton joined the Trail Blazers by signing.

Walton had a severe ankle sprain, two left wrist breaks, two dislocated fingers, one broken toe, and leg injuries in a jeep accident during his first two years. Walton averaged a double-double as a rookie in 35 games, including 12.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 2.7 blocks. Under Lenny Wilkens, the Trail Blazers finished 38-44 in the season.

Find out: Which team will draft Victor Wembanyama?

8. He led the Portland Trail Blazers to an NBA championship in 1977

Bill Walton (left) and Jack Ramsay (right) after the Portland Trail Blazers won the 1977 NBA Finals. photo sourced from Wikimedia commons

Walton guided the third-seeded Portland Blazers to series triumphs against the Chicago Bulls with Artis Gilmore (2-1) and the Denver Nuggets with Dan Issel in the 1977 postseason (4–2). Walton averaged 19.3 points, 14.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 2.3 blocks in the 1977 Western Conference Finals 4-0 series sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers.

In the 1977 NBA Finals, Portland faced off against the heavily favoured Philadelphia 76ers. After dropping the first two contests, the Blazers won four straight games to claim the NBA title. Walton was voted the Finals’ Most Valuable Player with averages of 18.5 points, 19.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.0 steals, and 3.7 blocks. Walton scored 20 points and pulled down 23 rebounds in the decisive Game 6 victory.

9. He won the 1986 NBA title with the Boston Celtics

Boston Celtics Bill Walton vs Los Angeles Lakers AC Green photo by Steve Lipofsky – Wikimedia commons

Walton was dealt by the Los Angeles Clippers to the Boston Celtics on September 6, 1985, in exchange for Cedric Maxwell and a first-round draft pick in 1986. Ralph Sampson and Hakeem Olajuwon failed to stop the Boston Celtics upset to the Houston Rockets 4-2 in the NBA Finals of 1986 to claim the title. Walton played 19 minutes per game, averaging 8.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 2.2 blocks to help the Celtics win the title.

Check out: Top 10 facts about the Boston Celtics. 

10. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993

Bill Walton’s induction into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame is not his only honour. In 1997, he was named one of the NBA’s fifty best players of all time. In 1999, he received the NCAA’s Silver Anniversary Award. And, as a result of his years of following the Grateful Dead, he was one of the first people to be inducted into the Grateful Dead Hall of Fame in 2001.

Read more: 60 Best College Basketball Players of all times.