Shaq, Charles Barkley devastated by death of Bill Walton: ‘World is not as good’
NY Post
The basketball world was still mourning the Monday death of the beloved former player and broadcaster Bill Walton when “Inside the NBA” went on air Tuesday ahead of the Mavericks’ Game 4 battle against the Timberwolves.
The “Inside the NBA” crew took time to remember the basketball and broadcasting legend, with Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal paying somber tributes to him along with Reggie Miller who came on the pregame show in order to discuss Walton.
Walton passed away at the age of 71 after a lengthy battle with cancer.
“When I got that news yesterday it hurt,” Barkley said. “Because you talk about great at basketball, great in life, great as a broadcaster, but just a good person. I never seen a person who was more joyful to be around, who was always in a good mood.
“The world is not as good of a place as it was yesterday. The world was better for having Bill Walton in it and it’s not as good a place as it was. We lost a legitimate person. Obviously, our basketball hearts are heavy. But the world was not as good a place as it was yesterday, because we lost Bill Walton.”
Walton became a legend at UCLA where he helped lead the Bruins to 73 consecutive wins and back-to-back national championships in the early 1970s before embarking on an NBA career where he won titles in Boston and Portland.
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