The world lost a giant of a man and personality with the passing of Bill Walton last week. He was 71 and his death caught so many people by surprise as he kept his battle with cancer very quiet.
I have written in the past about Walton. One post was inspired by my takeaways after having read his autobiography which I enjoyed far more than I was expecting.
He is considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time and his career and achievements would have been even more impressive had his body not constantly broken down via numerous fractures and spinal problems that forced him to live with excruciating pain for many years.
I remember watching his Portland Trail Blazers team that won the NBA championship in 1977. I also happened to have seats on the floor of Chicago Stadium when the Trail Blazers played the Bulls in the playoffs in a game that Walton said was one of the most exciting of his career. What an electrifying game that was and one I still remember pretty vividly 47 years later.
What magic that Blazers team brought to the game. Their fluidity and grace, along with brute force carried out by The Enforcer Maurice Lucas, showed me, along with millions of others, the power of a team in which everyone knew what their roles and responsibilities were in order to make it extraordinarily effective and cohesive. The way they would move without the ball, the by design multiple pass strategy which also happened to be beautiful to watch, a disciplined and well designed system to execute plays to get the best shot, the selflessness, effort, defensive prowess, and mastery of the fundamentals burned into my consciousness the awesome power and potential of a highly functioning and well prepared team.
Walton’s hero was John Wooden who taught him what it meant to be a man and responsible adult. Walton came to UCLA as a counter culture hippie and Wooden was 180 degrees the opposite. Wooden would never compromise his system or approach to accommodate any individual player if it came at the expense of building a cohesive and selfless team. Walton learned to keep his rebellious streak off the court and he came to relish and thrive in Wooden’s highly demanding system. I highly suggest watching this video clip of Walton talking about John Wooden.
While growing up and into his young adult years Walton had to contend with having a terrible stutter that made it very difficult for him to speak. With the help of another guide in his life, however, he tackled this challenge head on such that he became a basketball announcer after his NBA career ended and he ultimately became equally famous in that role for never shutting up. He was part analyst, preacher, spiritual guru, lover of life, and Deadhead. All of these parts of his personality shone through during his broadcasts and in interviews he would do.
It’s the Deadhead part that regular readers know is the most relatable and enjoyable to me when it comes to Walton’s personality. He attended nearly 1,000 Dead shows, which is probably the most of any non-band member. Walton was extremely close to all of the band members as well as the road crew. In fact, after Walton’s passing, Dead drummer Mickey Hart said that Bill Walton was his best friend. Dead and Company have now embarked upon their 30 show residency at The Sphere in Las Vegas and this is what Mickey Hart posted on X ahead of the first show in the aftermath of Walton’s passing.
I loved seeing Bill at shows rocking out and lost in a trance-like state of joy and ecstasy. He radiated positive energy. Here he is at one of the many shows he attended smiling from ear to ear.
Over the years I have drawn many lessons from love of The Dead and having seen them live many times. Walton, not surprisingly, did the same thing. I found this particularly interesting, compelling, and poignant.
There’s not much more I can add to that to further convey the power, satisfaction, and joy of being part of a high performing team that experiences recurring success. Between learning under the tutelage of John Wooden and the amazing UCLA teams he played for and what he experienced with the Blazers under Jack Ramsey, as well as with the Boston Celtics at the end of his career on teams led by Larry Bird, Walton was all about the power of extraordinarily committed, talented, and unique individuals coming together to form a bond that is far more powerful than their individual capabilities and contributions.
Gary Carmell and Coach John Wooden 2005
I will end this post with a couple of pictures I took of Bill Walton playing bongos at the Skull and Roses Festival in 2022. He was so happy to be part of the band and playing his bongos to the music that changed his life and helped give him direction, purpose, and tremendous joy.
Thank you Bill Walton for showing me how to live life with such joy and purpose. As it’s said in Grateful Dead land when someone passes away, “May the four winds blow you safely home.”
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