The Milwaukee Bucks and the entire basketball world mourned the death of Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Bill Walton on Monday. A legendary center who won two NCAA Championships at UCLA and two NBA Championships (one with the Portland Trailblazers and one with the Boston Celtics). The 71-year-old legend died of cancer.
Walton’s list of accomplishments during his basketball career is numerous. His accolades include being one of only two players in NBA history to win both the MVP and Sixth Man of the Year awards (the other being James Harden). Walton won MVP honors in 1978 with averages of 18.9 points, 13.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.0 steals. and 2.5 blocks per game. He won his sixth Man of the Year award in 1986 with averages of 7.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.
Even though Walton missed over four seasons of his career due to injury, he is still considered one of the greatest large men of all time. In 2021, Walton was named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary team along with Bucks stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.
Former Milwaukee Bucks player Thon Maker paid tribute to Bill Walton
In 2016, the Bucks selected Thon Maker 10th overall in the NBA Draft. Maker spent two and a half seasons in Milwaukee before finishing his career with the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers. Over five seasons, Maker averaged 4.6 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. He currently plays professionally for Al Riyadi Club Beirut in the Lebanese Basketball League.
Maker went through a lot to become a professional basketball player. Born in what is now South Sudan during Sudan’s second civil war, his family had to flee violence in the country. Nearly a decade later, basketball talent scout Edward Smith saw him playing soccer in Australia, where his family had settled as refugees.
In 2011, Smith and Maker traveled to the United States, where the juvenile basketball prospect was attending high school. While playing in the AAU league, Maker and his teammates met Walton.
When he learned of the Hall of Fame member’s death, Maker shared the incredible news Walton told him that day:
— Thon Maker ™ (@ThonMaker14) May 28, 2024
All you have to do is scroll through social media to see that this wasn’t unusual for Walton. Many former players and announcers shared stories of his genuine kindness.
Bill Walton’s fight with the Milwaukee Bucks
Walton played 25 games against the Bucks in a career that spanned 1974-1988. In this competition, he averaged 13.1 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game against them.
In one particularly dominant performance in 1976, Walton scored 27 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and blocked six shots in a 124-111 win over Milwaukee.
The following year, Walton played in a game against Milwaukee in which he scored 32 points, had 10 rebounds, dished out five assists and blocked two shots. The Trailblazers won that night 109-106.
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