Born November 5, 1952, in La Mesa, California, was Basketball Hall of Fame Center Bill Walton. This legend was a star at UCLA before being drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in 1974. Walton was a standout high school and college player. He still ranks seventh in career rebounds All-Time for scholastic players! In College, Bill played for the "Wizard of Westwood," John Wooden. He played for the UCLA Bruins from 1971 to 1974, and he led the team to two national championships and an 88-game winning streak. Walton was named the Naismith College Player of the Year and the Wooden Award winner in his three seasons at UCLA. This giant in the Bruins middle was an unstoppable force on offense, averaging 20.3 points per game for his career. He was also a dominant rebounder, averaging 15.7 rebounds per game.
Walton played for the San Diego/ Los Angeles Clippers and the Boston Celtics. Walton led Portland to an NBA championship 1977, earning the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award that season. He won another NBA title in 1986 as a member of the Boston Celtics. Bill was a two-time All-Star and was on the NBA 75th Anniversary team.
