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Bill Walton

Bill Walton Quotes

Basketball player

Bill Walton, born on November 5, 1952, was a renowned American basketball player. Known for his extraordinary talent and leadership on the court, Walton achieved great success during his college years at the University of California, Berkeley, leading his team to two NCAA championships and winning the NCAA Most Outstanding Player award. After entering the NBA, he played for the Portland Trail Blazers and won the NBA championship and MVP in the 1977 season. However, plagued by injuries, his NBA career was not smooth. Walton was selected to the NBA All-Star Team eight times, and was named to the NBA All-Star Team and NBA All-Defensive Team three times and twice respectively. His playing style and leadership have had a profound impact on his successors, and he is considered one of the greatest centers in NBA history, winning the respect and admiration of countless fans.

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Famous Bill Walton Quotes

“I tried to teach them [his sons] that about the importance of self-discipline, and that the culture of yes is built on a foundation of no.”

Basketball Family Relationships Child Rearing Ucla Bill Walton Coach John Wooden

Author:Bill Walton

“Tim Duncan's foot issue, I think, is a major factor in this year's playoffs. That's not the kind of injury that gets better over time playing NBA basketball.”

Thinking Years Kind Issues Feet Basketball Majors Majority Factors Get Better Injury Nba Playoffs Duncan

Author:Bill Walton

“I couldn't imagine not playing basketball. To me, basketball is what life is all about.”

Life Is Imagine Basketball Playing Basketball

Book:Nothing But Net: Just Give Me the Ball and Get Out of the Way

Source: Nothing But Net: Just Give Me the Ball and Get Out of the Way

“In basketball, you can be the greatest individual player in the world and still lose every game, because a team will always beat an individual.”

World Stills Games Individual Loses Player Team Basketball Beats

Author:Bill Walton

“I'm a fan and a friend, I met them in 1974 when I first joined the NBA and my life has never been he same since. I became the basketball player I was because of the Grateful Dead.”

Firsts Player Fans Mets Basketball Grateful Nba Basketball Player

Author:Bill Walton

“But you have to understand, my beard is so nasty. I mean, it's the only beard in the history of Western civilization that makes Bob Dylan's beard look good.”

Looks Mean Civilization Basketball Western Bob Nasty Dylan Beard Western Civilization Funny Basketball

Author:Bill Walton

“You don't win championships by just being normal, by just being average.”

Winning Sports Basketball Normal Average Just Being Championship

Author:Bill Walton

“Winning is about having the whole team on the same page.”

“Tracy McGrady is doing things we've never seen from anybody - from any planet!”

Funny Planets Basketball Funny Basketball Tracy

Author:Bill Walton

“Mick Jagger is in better shape than far too many NBA players. It's up in the air whether the same can be said of Keith Richards.”

Said Funny Player Air Shapes Basketball Nba Keith Nba Player Funny Basketball Up In The Air Jagger

Author:Bill Walton

“Basketball is one of those rare opportunities where you can make a difference, not only for yourself, but for other people as well.”

People Inspirational Wells Opportunity Differences Basketball Making A Difference You Can Make A Difference Rare Opportunities

Author:Bill Walton

“No matter how good you get, there's always something further out there.”

Matter Basketball

Author:Bill Walton

“Bill Russell was my favorite player of all-time.”

Player Basketball Bills My Favorite All Time

Author:Bill Walton

“Growing up, my parents were very, very strict. And then I went to UCLA with John Wooden, who was just off the charts.”

Parent Growing Up Growing Basketball Strict Ucla

Author:Bill Walton

“I don't sleep much. I'm on the go. My mind is racing. My wife says my mind is like the rolling dials on a slot machine. So, yeah, I think about everything.”

Thinking Mind Motivational Sleep Wife Basketball Machines Yeah My Wife Racing Rolling Slot Machines

Author:Bill Walton

“I mean, I'm 6-foot-11, I've got red hair, freckles, I'm a goofy, nerdy-looking guy, I've got a speech impediment-I stutter and stammer all the time-and I'm a Deadhead.”

Mean Guy Feet Hair Speech Basketball Red Goofy Impediments Nerdy Red Hair Freckles Speech Impediment

Author:Bill Walton

“I might be the most injured athlete in the history of sports. I've had 31 operations. An endless string of stress fractures.”

Might Sports Basketball Stress Athlete Endless Operations Strings Injured Fracture

Author:Bill Walton

“I was a skinny, scrawny guy. I stuttered horrendously, couldn't speak at all. I was a very shy, reserved player and a very shy, reserved person. I found a safe place in life in basketball.”

Persons Motivational Guy Found Speak Player Safe Basketball Shy Skinny Reserved Safe Places Place In Life

Author:Bill Walton

“I'm mainstream. Always have been.”

Has Beens Basketball Mainstream

Author:Bill Walton

“Life is about growth. People are not perfect when they're 21 years old.”

People Years Life Is Growth Change Perfect Basketball Not Perfect

Author:Bill Walton

“Right now, you know, it's not about the refs or anything else, it's about hitting first, getting on the run and never looking back.”

Knows Firsts Running Right Now Basketball Hitting Looking Back Refs

Author:Bill Walton

“That's what makes it so fun to be on a team. You're sitting at your house, thinking up this wild, crazy stuff as to how it's going to go, and the other guys are sitting at their houses doing the same thing.”

Thinking Guy House Fun Stuff Team Crazy Basketball Sitting Other Guys

Author:Bill Walton

“Well, we've made some changes on this tour. We're no longer sleeping in the parking lots and swimming in the fountains. We've been staying in hotels most of the way, though I will say some hotels have declined to take us because we're just having too much fun.”

Way Wells Made Fun Sleep Too Much Basketball Hotel Staying Swimming Fountain Parking Sleeping In Parking Lot Too Much Fun

Author:Bill Walton

“Without question, no hesitation, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the best player I ever played against.”

Player Basketball Hesitation Best Players

Author:Bill Walton

“At 49, I can say something I never would have said when I was a player. I am a better person because of my failures and disgraces.”

Persons Said I Can Player Basketball Disgrace Better Person

Author:Bill Walton

“John Stockton is one of the true marvels, not just of basketball, or in America, but in the history of Western Civilization!”

America Civilization Basketball Western Western Civilization Funny Basketball Best Basketball

Author:Bill Walton

“Chick Hearn was my favorite broadcaster ever - he's the one who taught me to think basketball, how to love basketball.”

Thinking Inspirational Taught Basketball My Favorite Chicks How To Love Broadcasters Love And Basketball

Author:Bill Walton

“We can never thank David Stern enough. His vision to use basketball to improve the quality of our lives to make this world a better and saner place, that guy, is the most important man in the history of basketball.”

Men World Inspirational Important Enough Use Guy Quality Vision Our Lives This World Basketball That Guy

Author:Bill Walton

“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.”

Way Play Kids Joy Growing Up Growing Sacrifice Team Fans Basketball Commitment Bills My Favorite Teamwork Boston Camaraderie Boston Celtics

Author:Bill Walton

“No one missed more basketball in the history of NBA than I did. I played 14 seasons, on the roster for 14 years, and I missed more than nine-and-a-half full seasons.”

Years Half Basketball Seasons Nine Nba Half Full Rosters

Author:Bill Walton

About the Author

Born: November 5, 1952
Known for: Basketball player
Quotes: 107

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Books & Sources

Nothing But Net: Just Give Me the Ball and Get Out of the WayRelated source material

Back from the DeadRelated source material

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