A legend appears both within and outside of the parquet floors. Legends of the game are on borrowed time on the globe, but their impact is lasting. Bill Walton has undoubtedly contributed significantly to NBA and basketball history. He left an impression on the UCLA Bruins, Portland Trail Blazers, Boston Celtics, and the rest of the globe. His premature death left many people mourning the loss of a terrific player, analyst, and even better person. His legacy extended beyond athletics. He influenced innumerable people, including former President Barack Obama.
Bill Walton, an NBA legend, passed away at the age of 71, prompting Barack Obama to pay tribute. He will always be known as the dominant force in the paint for UCLA basketball and the Celtics. His off-the-post passing prowess served as a prototype for players such as Arvydas Sabonis and other big men. While all of these are incredible feats of physical prowess, along with his two NBA titles, one of his greatest achievements was motivating those around him. One of them simply happened to be Barack Obama.
The previous president of the United States wrote a letter not for Memorial Day, but to honor Bill Walton. He posted it on X.
“Bill Walton was one of the greatest basketball players of all time, a champion at all levels and the epitome of selfless teamwork. He was also a beautiful person, full of curiosity, humor, and kindness. We are poorer for his departure, and Michelle and I extend our heartfelt condolences to his family,” he added.
Barack Obama was a huge lover of the sport and even played it. He became closer to the game because to his brother-in-law, Craig Robinson. Michelle Obama’s brother played college basketball at Princeton and was picked by the Philadelphia 76ers. This was not the only connection that the former president had to the NBA. In fact, it was the Trail Blazers and Celtics legend who urged Obama to coach at UCLA after his term was done at the White House. Obviously, the Bruins went with Mick Cronin, but this statement made back in 2019 was a testament to the fair closeness between the late NBA great and the former Head of State. Bill Walton: A UCLA, Trail Blazers, and Celtics legend Walton was poised to be the greatest of all time. He boosted UCLA to their only back-to-back 30-win season without recording a loss. The Bruins would then get two national championships out of him before he headed to the NBA. At this point in his career, it was a question whether or not he would surpass great bigs like Bill Russell, George Mikan, and Wilt Chamberlain early in his career.
His efforts in college led him to the Trail Blazers. He maintained his supremacy with the Bruins. This led to early success, as he won the 1977 NBA title and was named Finals MVP. Chronic foot injuries plagued his entire career. Still, he joined a legendary Celtics team that included Larry Bird, Danny Ainge, Dennis Johnson, Robert Parrish, and Kevin McHale. Walton’s season with them earned him a second Larry O’Brien Trophy.
After all was said and done, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993.
Jay is a ClutchPoints sports journalist that specializes in covering the NBA, NFL, MLB, Tennis, and Formula 1. He is a lifetime racing and tennis enthusiast. Jay’s demand for speed may no longer exist on the track or in the courtroom, but it has persisted in his writing.
Leave a Reply