On Monday, May 27th, the basketball world said a somber farewell to Bill Walton, who became a living legend in Portland, LA, San Diego, and Boston. A simple farewell or thank you would not be enough for a man who entertained and, at times, toyed with and impressed the basketball world beyond his lengthy vocabulary. The proper eulogy would need to be as long as the Big Red giant was tall, and that’s not something you throw together the minute you hear the sad news. You take a deep breath, close your eyes, and remember all the times the big fella enriched our lives as fans of the sport.
Bryant Knox (BK) and Casey Mabbott (CM) are here to share their thoughts on what made Mr. Walton such a special person. His career spanned 54 years, from his freshman year at UCLA in 1970 to just months before his passing as a broadcaster for professional and college basketball networks.
1. What does Bill Walton mean to you as a basketball fan?
BK: As a ‘90s kid, I never got to experience watching Bill Walton live. But as someone who discovered a passion for hoops early and an obsession for all things Trail Blazers, it didn’t take long to learn that The Big Redhead really was the original GOAT for the Portland franchise.
Of course, stats and accolades only tell half the Bill Walton story, at least for me. Learning of the dominant 1977 Finals run? That was part of it. So, too, was studying the 1978 MVP season. But as a kid who first memorized Bill Walton’s voice before I learned his game, I had the pleasure of letting one of the greatest, most vibrant, addictive personalities in broadcasting shape how I viewed the game during the most formative years of my fandom.
CM: My parents are originally from California. They were ardent UCLA supporters and became Blazer fans when they moved here in the mid-70s, right around the time Walton was getting going in Portland – so I heard many of Walton’s stories from a young age. By the time I got into basketball in the late 80s, Walton was an old man by NBA standards, so the stories seemed more like myths than truth as a kid. Was this bigfoot playing basketball even real? Guys who played in college with him were still playing by the time he should have been a wily old vet, but he wasn’t there. Youtube and Google didn’t exist back then, you couldn’t even hop on Encarta and get a feel for what Walton was like, you had to find the highlights the old fashioned way – waiting to watch them on tv or on a highlight VHS special you got for your birthday. When I saw the highlights, explored the stats, and heard even more stories, it made it even more unreal to think Portland had this amazing giant of a man for a short time. He was a living legend from the time I got into sports, and even though he has passed on to the great cornfield in the sky, he will remain a legend in my eyes. The nearly quadruple doubles he put together in the NBA Finals still sound like something from NBA 2K2, with all the sliders adjusted in your team’s favor. Twenty points, 23 rebounds, 7 assists, and 8 blocks while playing all but 6 minutes on the Memorial Coliseum floor in a win that gave Portland its only title to date? Big Red was unbelievable, man, and that will never change.
2. Where do you rank Walton among all-time players on the Blazers?
CM: It’s not an insult to Walton to put someone else on the list of franchise records, but until someone unseats him as the legend who won the only championship trophy in the building, he deserves and needs to be number one. Drexler and Lillard did incredible things in their careers here, as did Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge. But they didn’t do the best thing an NBA player can do, and that’s won it all. Until someone else leads a team to the ultimate victory, Walton has to be on the top of the list. We ultimately grade players based on their ability to win it all on the biggest stage, and Walton is the only one to lead a team to that ever-elusive victory so far.
BK: Let the record show that I won’t fight anyone who has Bill Walton No. 1 on their All-Time Trail Blazers list. His individual accomplishments before chronic injuries crashed the party were heroic. But more importantly, they set the stage for the real story, which was leading the franchise to the only championship to its name. That means something.
That said, Damian Lillard and Clyde Drexler occupy the top two spots on my version of the team GOAT list. Lillard played 11 seasons in the city where he was drafted, and Clyde got 11-and-a-half. Those decade-plus runs also mean something. And with Lillard becoming the team’s greatest scorer ever and Clyde regularly pushing his fellow All-Stars deep into the postseason, they both get the (admittedly hesitant) edge in my rankings.
3. After leading Portland to the title in 1977, Walton won league MVP in 1978 despite missing the final 22 games of the season. He finished second in MVP voting in 1977 and was voted to the NBA all-defense team both years while averaging 18 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, one steal, and 3 blocks per game, playing 33 minutes per game. How would you describe his two-year run?
BK: To put it simply: Nightmare fuel for the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, David Thompson, and other Western Conference bigs.
Had injuries not stepped in to ruin the fun, this wouldn’t be the “two-year run” as we think of it today; it would’ve been the early days of Walton’s evolution from face of the Trail Blazers to face of the NBA.
This two-year run looked, at the time, like the next GOAT trajectory taking shape. Of course, injuries did splash water on all that swiftly. But that can’t take anything away from what he did in Portland before he turned 25.
CM: Dynasty doesn’t begin to describe what Portland was turning into before Walton got hurt. They were 50-10, for crying out loud, and their nearly two years of dominance forced the Lakers to rethink their whole operation and try to recreate Dr Jack’s offense. If Walton doesn’t get hurt and then drafts Drexler in 83? They could have the team the Lakers had in the 80s with Magic and Kareem. And what if they keep Moses Malone, who they drafted in the merger dispersal draft? That could also blow up the Celtics, as a Walton-Lucas-Malone trio would be unstoppable and ensure the team keeps winning if any of the three get hurt. In that alternative timeline, maybe we’re talking about Walton the way we talk about Kareem, Russell, and Jordan as the most dominant players of their generation.
4. Walton was among the most dominant players in NCAA basketball history. Is there a specific performance that stands out to you?
CM: Walton had so many incredible performances in college that it’s tough to circle just one, but his final performance in a tournament game is my favorite. Fighting through injuries to his back and foot he still put together an all time playoff performance with 29 points 18 rebounds 4 assists in 50 minutes of a double overtime game that UCLA lost to eventual champions NC State. Did his team lose? Sure, but Walton made a fantastic effort in the loss, a precursor to how tough of a competitor he would be at the NBA level. He dealt with injuries throughout his professional career, and as good as he was, he could have been the best center of all time if he had been given a clean bill of health for just a few years.
BK: The 1973 national championship against Memphis State stands out every time for two reasons. First, Walton’s 44 points, 21-of-22 shooting, and 13 rebounds is maybe the greatest line we’ve ever seen in a title game. And it would’ve looked even better if the NCAA hadn’t had a no-dunking rule at the time, deeming four Walton dunks as offensive interference, keeping him from an actual total of 52 points on the night.
The other reason this game stands out, however, is because of one lasting, haunting image. Memphis State’s Larry Finch now-famously helped Walton off the court following an injury near the end of the game. The photo can be seen here, courtesy of The Bend Bulletin. But what’s also now clear is the foreshadowing of a career that will show so much promise only to end with Portland almost as soon as it peaked.
5. Years after leaving Portland, Walton joined Boston, won another title as a reserve, and won the 6th Man of the Year award while playing in a career-best 80 games. Can you think of a more decorated player who only played the equivalent of six full seasons?
BK: Bill Walton is the poster boy for this topic, which is not an indictment against him but a testament to what he accomplished.
I can’t think of anyone who truly ever did what he did in his timeframe, but one name that comes to mind is Yao Ming. That and, maybe similarly, Brandon Roy. Those two players were at the top of their games and realistically at or near the top of their positions during their peaks. But, of course, neither reached the success Bill Walton saw, placing Bill in his own class.
CM: He was a one-of-a-kind player making one-of-a-kind achievements. Most veteran players won’t even accept a role player spot on the roster, especially someone who has been the leader in the past. But Walton wanted to keep playing, and instead of going somewhere he could be the focal point on a bad team, he joined a team of future hall of famers while spelling doom for teams that needed a break when Robert Parrish or Kevin McHale took a rest. Imagine you’re playing the 1986 Celtics, and Bill freaking Walton is coming off the bench – when you’re already exhausted defending the best frontcourt in the NBA. As Bryant correctly put it, Walton was nightmare fuel for the rest of the league when he was given the chance.
6. After retiring from playing in 1990, Walton became a color commentator for NBA and NCAA games. Where does he rank among your favorite broadcasters?
CM: I never understood Blazers fans’ negativity toward him when he was commentating on Blazers games. I supposed they felt that his honest approach toward his former team wasn’t always welcome, but that’s more of a “them” problem than Walton being the wrong guy for the job. His deep knowledge of the game, coupled with his less conventional personality and tendency to throw more words at a description than were needed, made him a fun talking head to try and keep up with. Knowing that he had gone toe-to-toe and won with some of the best players in the history of the game made it even better, and he had a knack for connecting with all audiences, even if they didn’t know him as a player. He’s in my all-time top five. I don’t know if I have a favorite, but if I did, he would absolutely be in the conversation, if not the guy.
BK: He’s gotta be my favorite. Tuning into a Bill Walton broadcast was never like tuning in to hear Kevin Calabro or Kevin Harlan—because it wasn’t supposed to be. It was different. It was out there. As I said above, it was exactly what I needed as I grew into my love for the sport because his approach took you places you never expected you’d go during a game.
7. Would you rather go back in time to 1977 and witness the Trail Blazers win the championship or just be guaranteed they will win one at some point in your lifetime?
BK: I’d go back to ‘77 every single time. For starters, I have faith that, at some point, the stars will align again in Portland down the road. I was convinced it would happen during a single, epic year when Damian Lillard would go scorched Earth and have his “Dirk Nowitzki” playoff run. But I digress.
Given the shot to guarantee I can witness the first-ever or second-ever championship, I’m hopping in the time machine 10 times out of 10 and going back. Let me be a part of the pandemonium that was on June 5th, 1977, in the Rose City.
I even promise not to rush the court. Probably.
CM: With no hesitation, I’m going back to watch Bill and Blazer Mania take over the city. The people who were alive and vital enough to enjoy it back then still talk about it like it was the craziest experience, and the most common thing you hear is that the city was alive and in love with their sports team like they had never seen before or since. We have seen Clyde take the team to the Finals, Brandon Roy in amazing playoff performances, and Lillard get this team back to the conference finals after a nineteen-year absence. Those were amazing memories, and the city was happy with the team, but it’s not the same. Don’t forget that this was a team that had not even made the playoffs before, and the idea they could win the title with a new offense that had not been successful at other stops and a patchwork team built through young players, trades, and a merger was unlikely beyond words. It is so improbable that I don’t know if Bill himself could have accurately described it to you.
