NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton dead at 71 after battle with cancer!

[The Legion]

NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton dead at 71 after battle with cancer!

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/nba-hall-famer-bill-walton-dead-71

 

Edited August 11 by The Legion

[TripleGGG]

He was an interesting person. Told it like he thought it was. Met him several years ago. Was nothing like I thought it would be. Had a great time. RIP Bill. 

[WSCJonathan]

RIP to a legend, no one had any idea he was sick.  He had one of the all time peaks in NBA history before his injuries and was just such a chill guy all around.

"Walton described doctors looking at his X-rays at the hospital after he arrived in Boston: "And then Red, he bursts in through the double doors ... and he's smoking his cigar in the hospital, and he walks in and says, 'Who are you guys and what are you doing with my player?' And they're saying, 'Red, come here. Look at this. Look at his feet. Look at his face. We can't pass this guy.' And Red says, 'Shut up. I'm in charge here.' And Red pushes his way through all the doctors, comes over. I'm lying on the table there in the doctors examining room. Red looks down at me. He says, 'Walton, can you play?' I looked up at him with the sad, soft eyes of a young man who just wanted one more chance. One more chance to be part of something special, to be part of the team, to be with the guys one more time. And I looked up at him, and I said, 'Red, I think I can. I think I can, Red.' And Red, through the smoke, with a big, cherubic grin on his face, looked at the doctors, looked at me, and he said, 'He's fine. He passes. Let's go. We've got a game.' And we were able to go out and win a championship. I'm the luckiest guy in the world. Thank you Red Auerbach. Thank you Larry Bird. Thank you Boston Celtics. Thank you people of New England. Thank you Celtic nation. Wow. What a dream come true."

[btq96r]

Dude always came across as loving life and being incredibility grateful for his good fortunes along the way.  Made a lot of late night PAC-12 basketball watchable if that was the only thing to watch wherever you were.

Listening to sports media today, hearing all kinds of tributes of the kind of teammate he was when he played, and before the microphones were turned on in his media gigs.  Just tales of a guy who made everyone laugh, would wrestle you for the check at dinner, and would remember the names of all your kids even if he jokingly forgot yours and gave you a nickname in its place.

I can only hope to be spoken of as well when mine own time comes.