Deborah Walker
Jun 13, 2024 - 06:10

Trail Blazers News: Bill Walton Ultimate Portland What-If

Hall of Fame Blazers center Bill Walton passed away at 71. His impact in Portland was immense, despite career-altering injuries.

Hall of Fame former Portland Trail Blazers superstar center Bill Walton, who sadly passed away on May 27 at the age of 71 after a courageous battle with cancer, undoubtedly experienced the most remarkable peak performance of any player in Portland's history, despite being plagued by injuries beyond his control. Leading the team to their first and only championship in 1977 and earning the league MVP the following season, Walton's impact was undeniable, with the Blazers looking poised for a repeat before his season was cut short after just 58 games.

In a recent episode of The Oregonian's "Blazer Focused" podcast, Aaron Fentress and Craig Birnbach delved into Walton's enduring legacy in Portland, pondering how many more titles he could have secured with the team had he not been sidelined by a series of career-altering foot injuries, beginning in 1978.

Reflecting on Walton's impact, Fentress remarked, "He was only here for a few years, didn't leave on good terms, but he made the greatest individual impact in Blazers history. When people discuss the greatest players, they often mention Dame and Clyde, mainly due to their longer tenures in Blazers uniforms."

Despite his shortened time in Portland, Walton's statistics speak volumes. The 6-foot-11 center, selected first overall in 1974 after winning two NCAA championships with UCLA, averaged 17.1 points on 51 percent shooting from the field and 67.4 percent from the free-throw line, along with 13.5 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 2.6 blocks, and one steal per game. He earned two All-Star selections, two All-NBA honors, and two All-Defensive team nods during his five-year stint, which was effectively four seasons due to missing the entire 1978-79 campaign.

Had Walton remained healthy, he could have potentially led the Blazers to multiple championships in the 1980s, competing against the likes of Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's Lakers, Larry Bird's Celtics, and Moses Malone's 76ers. Despite his injuries, Walton had already proven himself as a top-tier talent by defeating basketball legends like Kareem and Dr. J. No other player in Blazers history can claim an MVP award or be considered the driving force behind a championship team like Walton.

Although his time in Portland was cut short, Walton's career came full circle when he reinvented himself as a key contributor for the Boston Celtics, winning a second NBA championship as the Sixth Man of the Year in 1985-86 at the age of 33. Playing a career-high 80 games that season, Walton's impact on the court continued to resonate, solidifying his status as one of the greatest players in NBA history.