Basketball great, sportscaster, man- who- marched- to- the- beat- of- his- own- drum, and all- around mensch Bill Walton passed away yesterday after a battle with cancer. He was 71. He was truly one of a kind, a fierce competitor with a gentle heart, and a thinking man with a great sense of goofy, self- deprecating humor. We remember him with a few of his quotes today:
Music is critical in our lives and culture. It's the inspiration that drives us. It's also the window to our souls. It's a reflection as to who we are, what we stand for and where we're going.
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The Grateful Dead, they're my best friends. Their message of hope, peace, love, teamwork, creativity, imagination, celebration, the dance, the vision, the purpose, the passion all of the things I believe in makes me the luckiest Deadhead in the world.
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I lived to play basketball. Growing up as a kid, Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics were my favorite team. The way they played, the teamwork, the sacrifice, the commitment, the joy, the camaraderie, the relationship with the fans.
The many fans, players, and admirers of Walton had their say on Twitter/X, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Julius Erving, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and many others. As Kareem said, "He was the best of us," meaning it in the fullest sense possible. R.I.P.
