Rick Carlisle got a big helping hand from Bill Walton on a first date with his now-wife, Donna, the Pacers coach revealed after the NBA Hall of Famer’s death was announced Monday.
Carlisle and Walton played together on the Celtics’ 1986 championship team, and the following year, Carlisle called his teammate for help getting two tickets to a Grateful Dead show, with a “pretty cool” girl.
Walton, famous for being a huge ‘Dead Head’, told him to go to the back of the venue (the now closed Capital Center outside Washington DC) and say he was a member of the 1986 Celtics championship team. rest was history.
“I probably also have him to thank for being married to my wife Donna,” Carlisle. began on Monday, before the Pacers’ Game 4 against the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals.
“It all ended up working out, I walked back down the loading dock ramp with two all-access laminates, one said Bill Walton and the other said (his then-wife) Susie Walton. So we were ready for the show.
Rick Carlisle shared how his former teammate Bill Walton helped him before a first date.
NBA Hall of Fame center Walton died Monday at the age of 71 after a battle with cancer.
Carlisle said he and Donna ended up spending 15 minutes talking to the band at one point, and it clearly impressed his future wife early in their relationship.
“It was an amazing night and it’s obviously a good first date,” she said. Anyway, I appreciate it.
He continued: “To me, he was a living, breathing event in history, just walking around. He was involved in many events, in pop culture, in sports: he played drums for the Grateful Dead in Egypt. He was a guy who did everything. ‘
‘He defiantly competed for every moment of life, to be the best he could be. That’s the best way to describe it.
‘What an amazing man. There will never be another. ‘
Carlisle (second left) and Walton (right) celebrate the 1986 Celtics championship together.
Walton, who died aged 71 from cancer, was remembered on Monday by many others across the sporting world.
His former ESPN colleague Jay Bilas said on air: “He may have been the greatest college basketball player of all time.” He was also an all-time great professional. …But more than that…he was an absolutely magnificent and beautiful person who you loved to be around at all times.’
Walton’s former Celtics teammate and good friend, Larry Bird, also issued a statement after his death, insisting that he will be deeply missed.
“I’m very sorry to hear about my good friend, Bill Walton,” Bird said. “I love him as a friend and teammate. It was exciting for me to play with my childhood idol and together we won an NBA championship in 1986. He is one of the best to ever play the game.
“I’m sure all of my teammates are as grateful as I am to have been able to meet Bill. It was a great pleasure meeting him and he will be deeply missed.” My family and I extend our deepest condolences to the Walton family.
Walton, seen with Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart, was a big fan of the band.
Walton was married twice, marrying his wife Lori in 1991 following his separation from Susie.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar also paid tribute to Walton on social media.
‘My very close friend, fellow Bruin and NBA rival, Bill Walton, died today. And the world feels a lot heavier now,” the six-time NBA champion said.
‘On the court, Bill was a fierce player, but off the court he wasn’t happy unless he did everything he could to make everyone around him happy.
“He was the best of us.”