It’s rarely ever easy when fans must say goodbye to a beloved sports icon, and today is such an occasion. We have confirmation that legendary NBA center Bill Walton has sadly died at the age of 71. Per the news, the beloved athlete passed away following a prolonged battle with cancer and was surrounded by family and friends at the time.
Since the news of Walton’s death broke, numerous fans, sports pundits, current and former players alike have reached out and paid tribute to the hall of famer. And among them are the likes of Magic Johnson Julius “Dr. J” Erving.
Magic Johnson, one of the NBA GOATS , is certainly someone who’s had a fair amount of encounters with Bill Walton during his lifetime. The revered athletes played each other more than a few times throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s. And, even after their NBA stints ended, the two remained good friends.
Upon learning of his comrade’s passing, Johnson took to X to pay tribute: Rest in peace to a friend, 2X NBA Champion, Hall of Famer, and one of the most skilled centers we’ve ever seen Bill Walton! His NCAA Championship performance as a UCLA Bruin against Memphis is by far the most dominate NCAA Championship performance ever - he shot 21 for 22 and had...
May 27, 2024 Julius "Dr. J." Erving also crossed paths with the late basketball player during those aforementioned decades.
He paid tribute with an Instagram post that included a sweet photo and caption: A post shared by Julius Erving (@juliuserving) A photo .
