William Theodore "Bill" Walton III, born November 5, 1952, is now a television sportscaster. Walton achieved superstardom playing for John Wooden's powerhouse UCLA Bruins in the early '70s, winning three successive College Player of the Year Awards, while leading the Bruins to two Division I national titles. He then went on to have a prominent career with the 'Blazers, Clippers and Celtics, where he was a league Most Valuable Player (MVP) and won two NBA championships. His professional career was significantly hampered by multiple foot injuries. Walton was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on May 10, 1993 and the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame that same year. He is the father of former professional basketball player Luke Walton.
Awards and honors
- 2× NBA champion (1977, 1986)
- NBA Finals MVP (1977)
- NBA Most Valuable Player (1978)
- 2× NBA All-Star (1977–1978)
- All-NBA First Team (1978)
- All-NBA Second Team (1977)
- 2× NBA All-Defensive First Team (1977–1978)
- NBA Sixth Man of the Year (1986)
- NBA 50th Anniversary Team
- No. 32 retired by Portland Trail Blazers
- 2× NCAA champion (1972–1973)
- 2× NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player (1972–1973)
- 3× Naismith College Player of the Year (1972–1974)
- 3× USBWA Player of the Year (1972–1974)
- 3× Adolph Rupp Trophy (1972–1974)
- 2× Helms Foundation College Player of the Year (1972–1973)
- 3× Sporting News College Player of the Year (1972–1974)
- 2× AP College Player of the Year (1972–1973)
- 3× Consensus first-team All-American (1972–1974)
- 3× First-team All-Pac-8 (1972–1974)
- No. 32 retired by UCLA
