As entertaining as he is insightful, speaker Bill Walton is renowned as one of the best speakers from the world of sports. As a speaker Bill Walton brings passion to the stage and inspires audiences with tales from an improbable life in sport and beyond.
Why you should book speaker Bill Walton:
- He Inspires. Speaker Bill Walton teaches lessons from a career & life filled with success and setbacks. He implements positive ideas and practices that audience members can takeaways for impressive results.
- He is grit personified. Bill is in College and NBA Hall of Fame champion despite his 38 surgeries. He showcases the power of maintaining courage, throughout all challenging circumstances.
- He maintains resilience. Bill suffered from a complete inability to speak without stuttering but continued to become a master broadcaster. Bill continues his resilience journey and inspires others along the way.
“Those not willing to risk going too far will never know how far they can go.” -Speaker Bill Walton
The nation’s top college basketball star, Walton’s professional career began when he was the number one overall pick in the NBA Draft by the Portland Trailblazers. He was a member of their championship team . Nine years later, he earned another championship title, this time with the Boston Celtics. He played with the Trailblazers, the San Diego Clippers, the relocated Los Angeles Clippers, and The Boston Celtics.
Throughout his great history of his accolades, Bill also suffered from multiple injuries throughout his basketball career, and a stuttering drawback, speaker Bill Walton overcame many of the strides that were used to set him back. Following a celebrated college basketball career, Bill went on to have a Hall of Fame NBA career. After basketball, he pursued his dream job as a sports broadcaster – but first had to overcome the lifelong stuttering affliction. And then, in 2008, Bill endured risky back surgery to repair the damage done early in his basketball career. Through it all, Bill’s determination and positive attitude carried him through.
After retiring from basketball, Bill began his broadcasting career in 1990 as an analyst for the then Prime Ticket Network. Bill worked for CBS Sports in the early ’90s and then for NBC for many years, including work in Atlanta and Sydney Summer Olympic Games. Over his career, he’s also done broadcasting work for ABC, ESPN, FOX, MSNBC, Turner Sports, KCAL, NESA, and the NBA. Bill has been nominated for numerous Emmy Awards and won an Emmy for Best Live Sports Television Broadcast. The southern California Sports Broadcasters Association has several times honored Bill with the Best Television Analyst/Commentator Award. In 2009, he was named one of the top 50 sports broadcasters of all time by the American Sportscasters Association.
Speaker Bill Walton is active with many organizations and charities. For his efforts, he received the NBA Retired Players Association Humanitarian Award. He is executive chairman of Connect SD Sport Innovators (SDSI), a non-profit, business-accelerating, trade organization that connects and drives the growth of Southern California’s vibrant sports economy by offering innovative programs and services for startups, mature companies, and service providers. Walton is also a board member for the Junior Seau foundation. Bill is also involved in numerous Internet ventures, providing content and business acumen.
Bill Walton is author of Back from the Dead and Nothing but Net. He currently resides in his hometown of San Diego with his wife, Lori.
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