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On Monday, the NBA announced Bill Walton, a former MVP and well-known broadcaster, died at 71 following a battle with cancer. Here are seven reasons we must never forget one of the greatest figures in basketball history. 1.

He had one of the greatest NCAA Tournament games ever Walton, a 6-foot-11 center, had a storied career in four seasons at UCLA under legendary head coach John Wooden, but his finest moment came in the 1973 national title game against Memphis State. In an 87-66 victory , Walton scored a championship-game record 44 points on a nearly perfect 21-of-22 shooting, winning his second national title. Unsurprisingly, he was named the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player.



In March 2024, Grant Hughes of 247 Sports rated Walton's magnificent game one of the 10 most memorable Final Four performances in NCAA Tournament history. 2. He could've had a better NBA career without injuries Walton dealt with chronic foot and knee issues throughout his career.

The Athletic's Jason Quick reported he underwent 39 surgeries and missed 762 games in 13 seasons with the Celtics, Clippers and Trail Blazers. He could've had an even better career if he avoided injuries. Quick shared former Celtics teammate and three-time MVP Larry Bird told ESPN "30 for 30" producer Steve James that Walton was one of the best players of all time when healthy.

In the 1976-77 season, Walton played in 65 regular-season games , the third most in his career. He finished second in MVP voting behind Los Angeles.

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