Not only was Bill Walton a good basketball player but he was also a good broadcaster. His witty and outgoing personality allowed him to be himself. At times, his takes may have been extreme but that was just who he is.

His enthusiasm and infectious love for the game of basketball were unmatched especially, at the college ranks. He turned to Sports Broadcasting almost immediately following his retirement from the NBA. He began as a studio analyst and color commentator in 1990, when he first worked for the Prime Ticket Network. From there, the opportunities were limitless. He later worked for CBS, NBC, ESPN and ABC. Covering a lot of different events including Olympic Games in 1996 in Atlanta and the 2000 Games in Sydney.

Most recently, Bill Walton served as a color commentator for ESPN and the Pac-12 Network. No matter how good he was or where he was broadcasting. He always strived to be better and make people laugh. That’s just who he was.

“I have great pride, loyalty and gratitude to and for UCLA,” he told UCLA Magazine. “I believe in science, I believe in facts, I believe in knowledge and all the things that UCLA stands for. One of the endless attributes that I developed and acquired at UCLA was a standard of excellence. I am not interested in mediocrity. I am not interested in average.”

He never shied away from being himself. That’s what made him one of the best color commentators. In 2001, he won an Emmy Award for best live sports television broadcast. An accolade that means a lot to Walton, who had worked for decades to overcome his stutter.

“I’m a lifelong stutterer,” he said in a 2011 interview. “It’s the greatest accomplishment in my life, learning how to speak … Now they’re scouring the earth trying to find the person who can get me to stop talking.”

I always enjoyed broadcasts that Walton was on. They were funny and the crew always had a lot of chemistry. That energy poured into others. I don’t know where he’s on your list but for me, he’s near the top. That will be missed by basketball fans all over. Now, with that I will say that I understand some don’t agree with that. Especially during the pandemic, when broadcasts were done remotely. Unless they have a lot of chemistry there was a disconnect between the broadcasters in that time.

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