When contemplating Bill Walton ’s playing days, many would highlight how he was never able to build upon his legacy as the best player in the league after leading the Portland Trail Blazers to a title solely because he struggled with repeated injury setbacks and consequently was often under pressure. However, during his broadcasting career, Big Red had the utmost freedom and time to showcase his vibrant personality.
From removing his shirt on camera to humorously popping a cupcake with a lit candle into his mouth, the two-time All-Star never shied away from capturing attention after his playing days.
However, one of his most iconic moments occurred during a podcast, when Walton unapologetically delved deep into his story involving a giant pterodactyl that he rode to the top of a mountain.
Walton’s epic giant pterodactyl story
During his appearance on ‘The Frank Caliendo Cast’ podcast, the former Sixth Man of the Year appeared in a jolly mood. At this time, he delved deeper into a story where he wasn’t just unafraid to find a dragon in his closet but fearlessly drove it to the top of a mountain. Unsurprisingly, it left all the other members of the podcast in utter disbelief.
"I open the closet door, and bam! This big, giant pterodactyl just came flapping its wings… While I had been learning to fly all week long, I grabbed onto the back, the back of his spine, the back of his shoulder and his wings, and we took off and we soared," Walton said. "I sorta realized the pterodactyl was getting tired, he had his lunch and he wanted to take a nap, but I kept kneeing him right in the kidney. We just kept going and going, and we finally got to the top of Mt. Laguna."
Despite the confusing looks on the faces of all the other gathered kept getting intense, they couldn’t help but laugh at the sincerity with which the two-time NBA Champion shared this tale. As far-fetched as his story seemed from reality, there wasn’t a single second where Walton gave up on detailing everything with utmost convention.
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Walton had no control of his mouth behind the mic
Whether in the studio, participating in a podcast, or providing live play-by-play commentary, Walton always aimed to entertain. A perfect example of his unpredictable charm was when he humorously pretended to call an Indiana Pacers game during a college basketball encounter, referencing players like Mark Jackson, Reggie Miller, and Rik Smits.
Safe to say, every time "The Big Red" was behind a microphone, he remained one of the finest personalities that the fans couldn’t afford to miss. He may not be among the top 10 big men in the league, but Bill surely made a case for himself being arguably the greatest broadcaster most fans would have ever seen.
Related: "It was a difficult, but surreal time" - Richard Jefferson recalls receiving encouraging text messages from a dying Bill Walton
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