Category: Athlete Appearances, Basketball, Broadcasters, Hall of Famers
Highlights: Bill Walton is synonymous with the game of basketball. Arguably the greatest college basketball player ever, Walton played at UCLA before embarking on a Hall of Fame NBA career.
Travels From: California
Fee Range: $20,001 - $30,000
One of the most celebrated basketball players of all-time, Bill Walton enjoyed a legendary college career at UCLA followed by a Hall of Fame NBA career. Walton played collegiately at UCLA for legendary head coach John Wooden from 1971-1974 and led the Bruins to two NCAA Championships in 1972 and 1973. He was named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player both years and, in the 1972 Finals against Memphis State, displayed one of the greatest performances in Finals history by scoring 44 points and going 21 – 22 from the field. Walton was named a consensus All-American and Sporting News Player of the Year along with Naismith College Player of the Year three times from 1972-1974. His jersey #32 was retired by UCLA and he was part of the inaugural class inducted into UCLA’s Athletics Hall of Fame. In 2006, Walton became a member of the College Basketball Hall of Fame.
In 1974, Walton was selected in the NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers with the first overall pick. He spent four seasons from 1974-1978 playing in Portland, which culminated in the Trail Blazers beating the Julius Erving-led Philadelphia 76ers in the 1977 NBA Finals and Walton earning MVP honors in the championship series. In 1978, Walton was named NBA MVP and All-NBA First-Team before knee and foot injuries began to limit his play. Walton then spent four seasons between 1979 – 1985 playing for the San Diego/Los Angeles Clippers before being traded to the Boston Celtics prior to the 1985-1986 season. Playing alongside future Hall of Famers Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish, Walton took home his second NBA title in 1986 when the Celtics defeated the Houston Rockets, 4-2. For his efforts that season, Walton won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award. His jersey #32 was retired by the Trail Blazers in 1989 and he was named to the NBA 50th Anniversary Team in 1996. Walton was induced into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in 1993.
After his playing career ended, Walton embarked on a successful broadcasting career as a basketball analyst for CBS, NBC, ESPN/ABC and the Pac-12 Network. He won a Sports Emmy in 2001 and was honored by CoSIDA with the Dick Enberg Award in 2018. In 2016, Walton authored the New York Times bestselling book “Back From The Dead: Searching For The Sound, Shining The Light And Throwing It Down.” A popular speaker, Walton has spoken to hundreds of companies and organizations across the United States, including such blue-chip brands as AT&T, Blue Cross & Blue Shield, Burger King, Cisco, Dell, HP Enterprise, Liberty Mutual, Microsoft, UPS and Wells Fargo. He was born on November 5, 1952 in La Mesa, California.
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