Washington State Cougars On SI

Pac-12 Shares Tribute Special For Basketball Legend, Former Broadcaster Bill Walton

Joe Londergan

Dec 31, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Pac-12 Network analyst Bill Walton wears a Happy New Year crown during an NCAA basketball game between the Washington State Cougars and the Southern California Trojans at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Dec 31, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Pac-12 Network analyst Bill Walton wears a Happy New Year crown during an NCAA basketball game between the Washington State Cougars and the Southern California Trojans at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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The basketball world lost a figure larger than life in 2024 with the passing of Bill Walton at the age of 71.

As a player, Walton was a legend of the game, winning two NCAA championships under John Wooden at UCLA. He went on to a 14-year career in the NBA, where won two championships in addition to numerous other personal accolades. Walton was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993. After his time as a player, Walton enjoyed a career as a broadcaster that lasted more than three decades, primarily covering Pac-12 basketball.

This week, on the one-year anniversary of his death from cancer, the Pac-12 Conference released an hour-long tribute to Walton, featuring loving words from Walton's friends, colleagues, and Pac-12 players and coaches that got to know him. The special included words from former Washington State head coach Ernie Kent, among many others.

"I just thought again his compassion for people, his compassion for his fellow man is second to none with me, and his tremendous heart, character, smile, with all of those things that go into it. He left a legacy that'll never be replaced, just a remarkable athlete but even more so, a remarkable man and a good friend that is truly, truly missed," Kent noted.

Watch the full special below.

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Joe Londergan
JOE LONDERGAN

Joe Londergan joined the SI brand in 2023 with G5 Football Daily. With over 15 years of experience in covering and working directly in college and pro sports, Joe's expertise has been featured in Front Office Sports, SB Nation, and XRAY.FM. He is a member of both the Football Writers' Association of America and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association. Joe holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Louisville and a master's degree in sports administration from Seattle University. Outside of his writing career, Joe enjoys golfing, although he admits that while he hits driver decently, his short game is a liability.

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