Bill Walton dies at 71, the NBA Hall of Famer and legendary Trail Blazer had a lengthy fight with cancer.

Being authentic never scared Bill Walton. Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, a two-time NCAA champion at UCLA, a two-time NBA champion, and an all-around on-court great, Walton was gigantic, if only in part due to his almost seven-foot stature.

Aside from the court, Walton was a broadcaster who defied convention and enjoyed it, a guy who was really concerned about the things that meant most to him. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said that “Bill Walton was truly unique.”

On behalf of Bill Walton’s family, the league notified everyone that the 71-year-old passed away on Monday after a protracted battle with cancer. Playing on the league’s 50th and 75th anniversary teams, he was named the NBA MVP in 1977–1978 and the league’s sixth man of the year in 1985–86.

That came after an amazing three years playing for UCLA under head coach John Wooden, during which he won three national player of the year awards.

Another Hall of Famer, Julius “Dr. J” Erving, shared on social media, writing, “I am sad today hearing that my comrade and one of the sports world’s most beloved champions and characters has passed away.”Bill Walton loved each and every moment of his life. To work and compete with him was a privilege in my life.

In remembrance of Bill Walton, the NBA planned a moment of silence before to Monday night’s Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals between the Boston and Indiana teams. The tributes began to roll in almost immediately.

In 1993, Bill Walton—who was among the most well-known players in the game—was admitted to the Hall of Fame. Due to recurring foot problems, he was only able to play in 468 games throughout his NBA career with the Portland Trail Blazers, San Diego/Los Angeles Clippers, and Boston Celtics.

He averaged 13.3 points and 10.5 rebounds, which were not very impressive, in those games. He nonetheless had a significant impact on the game.

One Dallas Mavericks coach, Jason Kidd, remarked, “When you talk about basketball and what he brought to the media side, it’s a legend lost.” “To be able to succeed not just on the court but also on TV as an ex-player.”

Bill Walton’s most well-known game was the 1973 UCLA vs. Memphis NCAA championship game, when he shot 21 of 22 from the field to lead the Bruins to yet another national title.

In 2008, Wooden shared with The Associated Press his 35th anniversary view on the game, saying, “One of my guards said, ‘Let’s try something else.'” During that brief break, Wooden said, “Why? Nothing should be fixed if it isn’t broken.

They kept passing the ball to Walton, who was putting on a display for the ages. “It’s very hard to put into words what he has meant to UCLA’s program, as well as his tremendous impact on college basketball,” UCLA coach Mick Cronin said on Monday.

His contagious enthusiasm, love for the game, and unwavering honesty have been the distinguishing traits of his larger-than-life personality, in addition to his exceptional athletic accomplishments. “It is difficult to envision Pauley Pavilion during a season without him.”

After leaving the NBA, Walton went after a career in broadcasting, something he never thought he could do well and sometimes doubted he could pull off because of his terrible stutter. As it happens, Bill Walton was also really excellent at that.

He was named one of the top 50 sportscasters of all time by the American Sportscasters Association, received an Emmy, and his book “Back from the Dead” even made it onto the New York Times bestseller list. It detailed his years-long recuperation from a debilitating back injury that occurred in 2008 and drove him to consider suicide because of the unbearable agony.

“Most of my life was spent alone, but as soon as I was on the court, I felt good,” Bill Walton said in a 2017 interview with The Oregonian. I was so bashful that I said nothing. “But in real life, having red hair, a large nose, freckles, and a silly, nerdy-looking face makes me extremely self-conscious, and I can’t even talk.” Then, when I was 28, I started learning how to speak. It’s now my greatest accomplishment to date and the biggest nightmare of everyone else.

Walton was just exaggerating on that final sentence. Bill Walton was often seen sporting Grateful Dead t-shirts and was well-known for his on-air ramblings. Bill Walton had a great deal of affection for the band; in fact, he created satellite radio shows celebrating the band and what it meant to be a “Deadhead.”

And the Pac-12 Conference, which is now almost nonexistent because of college realignment, was another of his many favorites. From the beginning to the end, he sang of its glory, calling it the “Conference of Champions” each time.

In a tie-dyed T-shirt and a Hawaiian lei around his neck, he famously said on television, “It doesn’t get any better than this.”

Bill Walton worked for CBS, NBC, and ABC/ESPN, contributing to the broadcasts of NBA and college games throughout his career. He also worked for a while as an analyst for the Clippers and Sacramento Kings. He returned to ESPN and the Pac-12 Network in 2012, where he continued to extol the virtues of his league’s founding.

Bill Walton was a truly special person who always made time for others. ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro said of him, “He was a legendary player and a singular personality who genuinely cherished every experience throughout the journey of his extraordinary life.”

“Bill Walton frequently called himself ‘the luckiest guy in the world,’ but the lucky person was anyone who got to know him.” Bill had great success in his second profession as a broadcaster, captivating and inspiring listeners with his distinct personality.

But Bill Walton will always be linked to UCLA’s domination. He enrolled at the school in 1970, when freshmen were permitted to play on the varsity team. After he was permitted to play for Wooden, the Bruins were unbeatable for almost two years; the bulk of the famous 88-game winning streak, which included the team’s first 73 wins, was won by UCLA teams led by Walton.

Walton finished it in a 71-70 loss to Notre Dame in 1974, after shooting 12 of 14 from the field. It is so tragic that Bill Walton is no longer with us. Over the years, we became good friends.

On Monday, Digger Phelps, the coach of that Notre Dame team, commented on social media, referring to the player as “one of the great ones in UCLA basketball history.” Things won’t be the same without him.

Bill Walton had a 30-0 record in his first two seasons at UCLA and an 86-4 record at the end of his varsity career. The notion of a team has always fascinated me the most about basketball, as Walton said in his 1993 Hall of Fame speech, “My teammates… made me a much better basketball player than I could have become myself.”

If I had been interested in reaching my own objectives or playing a solitary sport, I would have taken up tennis or golf. Bill Walton led Portland to victory in 1977 and went on to win his second NBA title with Boston in 1986.

“What he contributed to our community and the game of basketball will always be valued,” said Trail Blazers chair Jody Allen of Bill Walton, calling him “an icon.” “One of the most incredible moments in franchise history was brought to life by his leadership and perseverance on the court, which helped us win a championship for our supporters.”

“Bill Walton could do it all, possessing great timing, complete vision of the floor, excellent fundamentals, and was of one of the greatest passing big men in league history,” the Celtics said in a statement. Among the most important players of his generation was Walton.

Walton considered himself fortunate to have received coaching from two of the greatest minds in the business: Red Auerbach, the man who founded the Celtics, and Wooden.

In his Hall of Fame speech, Bill Walton said, “I am so grateful to Red and John for shaping my life into what it is today.” In the 1974 draft, Walton was chosen by Portland as the first overall pick.

He went on to say that it was appropriate that his playing career finished with the Celtics since he thought Larry Bird was the best and toughest player he had ever played with, and Bill Russell was his favorite player. The famous statement made by Bill Walton about co-founder of the Grateful Dead Jerry Garcia was, “Playing basketball with Larry Bird is like singing with Jerry Garcia.”

In his latter years, Walton became an activist for issues that were important to him, such as the homelessness problem in San Diego, where he pushed the local government to help those in need and provide a place of shelter to the homeless.

“What I will remember most about him was his zest for life,” Silver said in a statement. He often went to league events; he was jovial, had a wide smile, and was ready to share his warmth and wisdom. I was jealous of his boundless energy, cherished our close bond, and valued the time he took to get to know everyone.

Bill Walton died surrounded by his loved ones, according to his family. He and his wife Lori are survived by their sons Adam, Nate, Chris, and Luke (a former NBA player who is now a coach).