Nearly 40 years ago, Larry Bird and Bill Walton helped the 1985-86 Boston Celtics become one of the greatest teams in NBA history.
On Monday, Walton passed away at the age of 71 after a long fight with cancer. His loss has been felt throughout the basketball and broadcasting worlds.
Bird paid tribute to his friend and former teammate with a statement, released a short time ago.
“I am very sorry about my good friend, Bill Walton. I love him as a friend and teammate,” Bird said. “It was a thrill for me to play with my childhood idol and together we earned an NBA championship in 1986. He is one of the greatest to ever play the game. I am sure that all of my teammates are as grateful as I am that we were able to know Bill, he was such a joy to know and he will be sorely missed. My family and I extend our sincere condolences to the Walton family.”
Larry Bird has issued a statement about the passing of his teammate on the 1986 champion Celtics, and longtime friend, Bill Walton: pic.twitter.com/xF2T7zs9Cj
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) May 27, 2024
Walton was acquired by the Celtics prior to the 1985-86 season after several injury-marred years with the San Diego/Los Angeles Clippers. Bird reportedly gave the okay to bring the former NBA Finals MVP to Boston.
That season, Walton appeared in a career-high 80 regular season games, winning NBA Sixth Man of the Year.
He then played in 16 of Boston’s 18 playoff contests as the Celtics beat the Houston Rockets in six games to win the NBA Finals and capture the franchise’s 16th world championship.
“The Celtics didn’t give me my career back, they gave me my life back,” Walton said in a 2018 interview. “To be able to go from the bottom to the top in one plane ride was just staggering. I had early success in my career, but the endless string of injuries destroyed everything. The Celtics gave me a chance to be a part of something special, which has always been my dream in life.”