Basketball legend Bill Walton passed away on Monday.
BOULDER, Colo. — Hall of Famer Bill Walton was truly a well-rounded athlete.
Great players, entertaining announcers and Buffalo fans — just ask Colorado men's basketball head coach Tad Boyle.
“He was really interested in players,” said Boyle, who fondly recalls his time with Big Red. “He would pull guys to the side, especially the bigger guys. Being a center himself, he was biased, of course. Guys like Evan Battey, guys like Josh Scott. Bill was really interested in the players he covered, and the coaches and programs he covered. I always appreciated that.”
Boyle knows how much he meant to basketball in general and the Pac-12 Conference in particular. “He was big for this league. As a player, he played for many years at UCLA and loved the league. As a commentator, he was the voice of the league. I remember after games there was a line of people in the Events Center concourse wanting to take pictures with him and say hello. He had time for everyone.”
And he treasured his time in Colorado. “Yeah, he loved Boulder, Colorado,” Boyle smiled. “He'd come back in the summers and, of course, [Grateful] He loved concerts in Folsom, he loved Pearl Street, he loved restaurants, he loved riding his bike, he loved the outdoors.”
Walton was well-liked by many, including Jackson Brenchley, now a Denver Pioneer and formerly of the PAC-12's Utah Runnin' Utes. Walton became close with Brenchley, and the two spent time together at practice and exchanged text messages. Brenchley said the nearly 50-year age difference didn't matter.
“Every time I saw him he'd say, 'Jackson Brenchley, my hero! Jackson Brenchley, my hero. How are you? Great headband. Great hair!'”
Brenchley has plenty of funny stories about his friend, from hilarious text exchanges to nearly having the basketball Hall of Famer stay over the night before a game. “What I love most about Bill is the way he makes you feel. He makes you feel like you're the best guy in the room the minute you see him. I've definitely learned how to treat people from him. He makes you feel so good because he always makes you feel like you're the most important person in the world and that you matter the most. I have so many funny stories with him, it just makes me laugh.”
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