William Theodore Walton III

William Theodore Walton III was born in La Mesa, California. Under legendary coach John Wooden at UCLA, Walton became one of the greatest collegiate basketball players in history, leading the Bruins to two consecutive undefeated 30-0 national championship seasons (1972 and 1973) as part of UCLA's record 88-game winning streak. In the 1973 NCAA title game against Memphis State, Walton delivered a flawless masterpiece, shooting 21-of-22 from the field for 44 points.

Drafted first overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in 1974, Walton led the "Blazermania" team to the 1977 NBA Championship, winning Finals MVP, and earned the NBA Most Valuable Player award in 1978. Despite enduring chronic foot and ankle injuries that required dozens of surgeries, Walton mounted a legendary comeback with the 1985–86 Boston Celtics, winning the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award and his second NBA title alongside Larry Bird. Walton was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993. A devoted "Deadhead" who attended over 850 Grateful Dead concerts, Walton became one of the most eccentric, poetic, and joyous broadcasters in sports television.