Basketball Hall of Famer Bill Walton Dies at 71

A Pioneer in the Game

Bill Walton, the basketball Hall of Fame center who won two national titles at UCLA, two NBA championships in Portland and Boston, and later became a colorful commentator, died Monday at the age of 71.

A Tumultuous Career

Walton's career was as triumphant as it was tragic, and as colorful as it was controversial. He was a dominant force in the early 1970s, leading UCLA to back-to-back national championships in 1972 and 1973. He was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in 1974 and helped lead them to the NBA championship in 1977. However, his career was plagued by injuries, and he missed several seasons in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Legacy

Despite his injuries, Walton eventually returned to the NBA and won another championship with the Boston Celtics in 1986. He retired in 1990 and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993. Walton's death leaves a void in the basketball community. He was a true pioneer in the game and his impact will be felt for generations to come.