William Theodore Walton III (November 5, 1952 – May 27, 2024) was an American professional basketball player and television sportscaster. He played college basketball at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) … See more

Walton was born and raised in La Mesa, California, the son of Gloria Anne (née Hickey) and William Theodore "Ted" Walton Jr. He was raised with siblings Bruce, … See more

Portland Trail Blazers (1974–1979)
Injury-plagued early years (1974–1976)
Walton was drafted by the American Basketball Association's Dallas Chaparrals in … See more

At age 17, just out of high school, in the summer of 1970, Walton was selected to represent the U.S. national basketball team at the 1970 FIBA World Championship. The team, under coach Hal Fisher, failed to win a medal in the tournament, coming … See more

Walton played high school basketball at Helix High School in La Mesa alongside his brother Bruce, who was one year older at 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) … See more

Beginning in elementary and high school, Walton had loyally followed UCLA's basketball team on the radio. He was recruited by many colleges, but quickly accepted UCLA's scholarship offer to play basketball for the Bruins and Coach Wooden. Wooden … See more

Coach Jack Ramsay, in 2010, called Walton the best Portland Trail Blazer, "hands down no question." "Walton could do everything, he … See more