Bill Walton, NBA Star, ESPN Commentator and Grateful Dead Superfan, Dies at 71
variety.comCynthia Littleton Business Editor Bill Walton, the gregarious NBA star who became an ESPN commentator and was well known as a dedicated fan of the Grateful Dead, has died, the NBA confirmed Monday.
He was 71. Walton played for four NBA teams and won two championships during his more than decade-long run the league, which ended in 1987.
He was a college star at UCLA and was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 1993. “Bill Walton was truly one of a kind. As a Hall of Fame player, he redefined the center position.
His unique all-around skills made him a dominant force at UCLA and led to an NBA regular-season and Finals MVP, two NBA championships and a spot on the NBA’s 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “Bill then translated his infectious enthusiasm and love for the game to broadcasting, where he delivered insightful and colorful commentary which entertained generations of basketball fans.
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