The basketball community lost perhaps one of its biggest gems. Two-time national and NBA champion Bill Walton is no more. After winning numerous on-court battles, the 1977 NBA Finals MVP lost his war against cancer at the age of 71. Following this, many eminent names are extending their condolences on this tragic occasion.

Former Iowa guard and the love interest of Caitlin Clark, Connor McCaffery was among the many basketball personalities who expressed his grief about Walton’s demise. Soon after the unfortunate news started circulating, the official page of the Indiana Pacers posted a heartfelt message about the Celtics legend. The post was captioned, “Pacers Sports & Entertainment joins the NBA family in mourning the loss of Bill Walton, a basketball legend, NBA champion, and Naismith Hall of Famer. We keep Bill and his family in our prayers.” Within an hour, the 25-year-old McCaffery chose to pay his respects by sharing the post on his Instagram as a story.

The illustrious career of Bill Walton gave the fans many moments worth remembering. The 6-foot-11 center represented UCLA from 1971 to 1974 and led the program to national glory twice. In addition to this, he also was instrumental in the Bruins winning 88 games on the trot. As a result, Walton became the No.1 overall draft pick in 1974 and started his professional career with Portland. Just 3 years later, the Trail Blazers lifted their first and only NBA title which also saw Bill Walton as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

Then, he had to wait for 9 long years to get his hands on his second NBA championship. After being a part of LA Clippers for 6 years. Walton became a part of the iconic 1986 Boston Celtics team that lifted their 16th NBA title. Unfortunately, some persistent foot injuries cut short his career to only 468 games.

“Bill Walton was truly one of a kind.” This is how the NBA Commissioner Adam Silver reacted to the death of the Emmy Award-winning commentator.

NBA Commissioner Mourns Bill Walton

The news of Walton’s passing has saddened many and that also includes NBA commissioner Adam Silver. Consequently, it didn’t take much time for him to reflect on his thoughts about the legendary figure. In an official statement, Silver says, “What I will remember most about him was his zest for life. I treasured our close friendship, envied his boundless energy and admired the time he took with every person he encountered. As a cherished member of the NBA family for 50 years, Bill will be deeply missed by all those who came to know and love him.”

The 2X NBA champion was known to spread smiles and joy among his close ones. “He wasn’t happy unless he did everything he could to make everyone around him happy,” his rival Kareem Abdul-Jabbar reminisces. While Stephen A. Smith recalls that Walton’s last words to him were asking him to smile when they met in Feb this year.

There is no denying that Walton’s loss is really heavy for the entire NBA family to bear. The kind of impact that he left on the sport will serve as a source of inspiration for many.

Stay tuned for more such updates. And, to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato had to say about the marketing genius, watch this video.