The Milwaukee Bucks and the entire basketball world mourned the death of Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Bill Walton on Monday. The legendary center who won two NCAA Championships at UCLA and two NBA Championships (one with the Portland Trailblazers and one with the Boston Celtics). The 71-year old legend died of cancer.
Dec 22, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; ESPN analyst Bill Walton during the game between the UCLA Bruins and the Maryland Terrapins at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Walton’s list of accomplishments during his basketball career are numerous. Among his accolades is the fact that he is just one of two players in NBA history to win both a MVP Award and Sixth Man of the Year (James Harden is the other). Walton won MVP in 1978 with averages of 18.9 points, 13.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.0 steals. and 2.5 blocks per game. He won Sixth Man of the Year in 1986 with averages of 7.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game.
Even though Walton missed over four seasons of his career due to injury, he is still considered one of the greatest big men of all time. In 2021, Walton was named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team along with Bucks stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.
Former Milwaukee Bucks Lottery Pick Thon Maker Paid Tribute to Bill Walton
Dec 5, 2018; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Thon Maker (7) grabs a rebound against Detroit Pistons forward Stanley Johnson (7) in the fourth quarter at the Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Back in 2016, the Bucks selected Thon Maker with the 10th overall pick in the NBA Draft. Maker spent two-and-a-half seasons in Milwaukee before finishing his career with the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers. In five seasons Maker averaged 4.6 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. He is now playing professionally for Al Riyadi Club Beirut of the Lebanese Basketball League.
Maker overcame a great deal in order to become a professional basketball player. Born in what is now South Sudan during the Second Sudanese Civil War, his family had to escape the country’s violence. Almost a decade later, a basketball talent scout named Edward Smith saw him playing soccer in Australia where is family had settled down as refugees.
In 2011, Smith and Maker made their way to the United States where the young basketball prospect would attend high school. While playing in an AAU league, Maker and his teammates got to meet Walton.
When he learned of the Hall of Famer’s death, Maker shared the incredible message Walton gave him that day:
One only needs to scroll social media to find out that this was not an unusual thing for Walton to do. So many former players and announcers shared stories of his genuine kindness.
Bill Walton vs the Milwaukee Bucks
Unknown date and unknown location; USA; FILE PHOTO; Portland Trailblazers center Bill Walton (32) against Milwaukee Bucks center John Gianelli (40). Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Network.
Walton played 25 games against the Bucks in his career, which spanned from 1974-1988. He averaged 13.1 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game against them in these contests.
In one particularly dominating performance back in 1976, Walton scored 27 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, and blocked six shots in a 124-111 win over Milwaukee.
The next year, Walton had a game against Milwaukee in which he scored 32 points, had 10 rebounds, dished out five assists, and blocked two shots. The Trailblazers won 109-106 that night.
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