Table of Contents
Bill Walton was a life force like no other. He also happened to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time, but that was secondary to being one of the greatest human beings of all time.
Living in Los Angeles my entire life, I have been surrounded by some of the most famous people in the world, and in all my time here, I have never seen a person so successful, so generous of spirit, so generous of his time, so genuinely interested in being nice to everyone he met.
Having attended dozens of UCLA basketball games, I have personally witnessed how Bill would stay for hours after each game to ensure that every autograph, every photo, and every interaction with every fan received his full attention.
How ironic then that his favorite band was “The Grateful Dead”, when it was so obvious that he was always grateful to be alive.
William David Stone
Beverly Hills
::
I have watched basketball for over 50 years and without a doubt Bill Walton played with more enthusiasm than any player I have ever seen. I wasn’t too crazy about Bill’s broadcasting style, but Bill was the best NCAA player I’ve ever seen, with Lew Alcindor, who became Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a close second. Like Bill’s UCLA teammate Greg Lee, Bill left us too soon.
David Hardenberg
Westwood
::
Whether arguing with John Wooden about his long hair, marching in anti-war protests in Vietnam or extolling the virtues of the Pac-12 as the “Conference of Champions,” the gregarious Bill Walton was much more than a legendary basketball player. Now the big redhead goes upstairs and shares his love of UCLA and the Grateful Dead while challenging anyone who dares to test his knowledge on almost any topic imaginable in a game of Trivial Pursuit. He rests easy, big guy. We will miss you.
Marty Zweben
Hacienda Palos Verdes
::
For four days in a row, six years in a row, I was fortunate to enjoy the company of Bill Walton during the Byron Scott Adult Fantasy Basketball Camp. Bill was always fun, kind, enthusiastic and generous. During two camps he opened his house to campers, which was like a sanctuary for basketball and the Grateful Dead.
That Walton’s dominance in the NBA lasted only a few seasons due to injuries does not diminish his greatness or the skill with which he played. It was exciting to see. The fact that Bill overcame his stutter to become an insightful and entertaining broadcaster is a testament to his work ethic and perseverance.
I am saddened to hear of his passing, but he will live on with all who saw him play or listened to his broadcasts.
Ray McKown
Torrance
::
In the 50 years since Bill Walton graduated from UCLA, a lot has changed in college sports. Bill was a highly recruited high school player who chose UCLA because his lifelong dream was to play for the Bruins and Coach Wooden. Another school couldn’t wave millions of dollars of NIL money around to influence his decision (yes, there was Sam Gilbert in the background looking out for UCLA players). He was not allowed to play on the varsity team when he was a freshman. Today Bill would be a “unique” player and would not have his retired uniform hanging in Pauley. Now the greats leave after a year, so will there ever be another player who has his uniform retired and hung in Pauley?
Carlos Yacoobian
Valencia
::
Bill Walton he became known as a broadcaster for his famously chaotic and unhinged ramblings (which at the same time could have everything to do with basketball, and absolutely nothing at all). His games were seen as a loud and unapologetic shill for the “Conference of Champions,” so while he is saddened by his untimely passing, it seems right that he will never know a world without the Pac-12.
Steve Ross
carmel
::
I had the amazing fortune of growing up in the era of the UCLA basketball dynasty. Lew Alcindor, Sidney Wicks, Curtis Rowe, Jamaal Wilkes, Gail Goodrich, Marques Johnson and my favorite player, Bill Walton, the best center I have ever seen.
I was incredibly lucky to grow up listening to people like Vin Scully, Dick Enberg, Chick Hearn and other legendary broadcasters. But perhaps my favorite announcer of all was Bill Walton himself. He was obnoxious, loud, bold, loud and spoke in hyperbole! But you couldn’t help but love him. You loved his jokes; you loved his sarcasm; You loved his enthusiasm…and you loved his undying, genuine, infectious love for the game.
I miss Scully. I miss Hearn. And I already miss Walton, the All-American and All-Pro basketball player, broadcaster and human being.
Steve Kaye
Gold Valley, Arizona.
::
Losing “Grateful Red,” who I saw on delay on KTLA on so many lonely Los Angeles nights, was a shock to all of us who admired Bill Walton. I saw Bill play on multiple occasions, but today my memories are of him happily riding his bike through Westwood Village, adjacent to UCLA.
I can only imagine Coach Wooden greeting Bill at Pearly Gates, welcoming him, but insisting that he get a haircut and shave first.
mike anderson
oaks sherman
::
Don’t worry, after two weeks in heaven, an exhausted God will return Bill Walton to his courtside post, where he will continue to ignore the games and share his vision of the universe.
mario valvo
fortune
Respect for Dave Roberts
Not getting enough attention after the Dodgers’ fifth straight loss on May 26 was Dave Roberts paying a visit to the mound, not to pull a pitcher, but to hug him, wrapping his arms around Yohan Ramírez for an extended period of time, encouraging the pitcher that he can pitch. He had never seen that happen to any manager before. Despite all the criticism about Roberts and his managerial decisions, that gesture of humanity increased my respect for Roberts as a man. With the Dodgers trailing 4-0 with one final at-bat in the top of the ninth, Roberts’ attention was not on the outcome of the game, but on the emotions of one of his players. Remarkable.
Brian Crosby
Burbank
Where is the good will?
You printed a letter that was in response to my letter about the Sparks raising ticket prices over 500% for $20 tickets to the Fever/Sparks game. In this letter, the writer said that I called Sparks’ increase in ticket prices “socialism.” For the record, I did not use that word and that was not my point.
My point was that even if a sports team professes to help and consider people on fixed incomes by offering affordable tickets to games… if the opportunity presented itself, the sports team would throw that good will out the window to make an extra dollar. In a sold-out game where there were 19,000 people… do you think the Sparks could have stayed true to their mission and kept a few hundred tickets at the regular price of $20?
Steve Shavel
forest hills
The Clippers make the right decision
Kudos to the Clippers for being smart business people. signing Tyronn Lue to a long-term, big-money contract, putting to rest any rumors or possibilities of Lue going to the Lakers. Clippers 1 (won) Lakers 0.
Russell Morgan
carson
Lost call?
MLB is rumored to have attempted to call embattled umpire Ángel Hernández about his impending “retirement,” but the call failed.
Steve Ross
carmel
Machines ready to take control?
So it turns out that the MLB will not use an automated strike zone for the 2025 season. It appears the Astros will have to wait another year before hacking the system.
Joe Kevany
Mount Washington
::
The Los Angeles Times welcomes expressions of all points of view. Letters should be brief and become the property of The Times. They can be edited and republished in any format. Each must include a valid mailing address and telephone number. No pseudonyms will be used.
Email: sports@latimes.com
This story originally appeared on Los Angeles Times.
