Bill Walton
Bill Walton was a legendary basketball player, broadcaster, author, cyclist, and philanthropist whose life reflected exceptional talent, resilience, and community service. A two-time California state champion at Helix High School, Walton set national high-school records, including a 79% single-season field-goal percentage and 825 rebounds.
He began a remarkable 142-game winning streak spanning high school and UCLA. At UCLA, Walton became one of the greatest college basketball players ever.
And when you get there, help someone else find the way.
3-Time Player of the year
He was a three time Academic All-American, three-time First-Team All-American, and three-time College Player of the Year from 1972 to 1974. He led UCLA to consecutive national championships and set an NCAA championship-game record by scoring 44 points on 21-for-22 shooting.
Champion and MVP
Walton carried that success to the NBA, winning championships with the Portland Trail Blazers in 1977 and the Boston Celtics in 1986. He earned NBA Finals MVP honors in 1977, league MVP in 1978, and Sixth Man of the Year in 1986. His jersey number, 32, was retired by both UCLA and Portland, and he entered the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993.
His career was marked by extraordinary perseverance. Walton underwent 39 orthopedic surgeries and overcame a severe stutter that lasted into his late twenties.
A devoted Grateful Dead fan who attended more than 1,000 concerts, he was the sole inductee into the Grateful Dead Hall of Honor.
Beyond sports, Walton was a lifelong cyclist, completing the full 800-mile Tour of California route and repeatedly riding the 650-mile Challenged Athletes fundraising ride from San Francisco to San Diego.
He later became an Emmy Award-winning sports broadcaster, earned 14 Sports Illustrated covers, and was named among the top 50 sportscasters of all time in 2009. His book, Back from the Dead, became a New York Times bestseller.
Walton also gave generously of his time to a wide range of San Diego and national charities, supporting youth, veterans, education, health care, arts, athletics, and underserved communities.
Bill believed life was a team game. So do we.
Whether you give, mentor, ride, volunteer, partner with us or simply help spread the light, there is a place for you on this team