Bill Walton was cited by Larry Bird as his basketball idol before he became his demanding teammate.

Bill Walton was cited by Larry Bird as his basketball idol before he became his demanding teammate.

Larry Bird shared the floor with many phenomenal players over his 13-year career with the Boston Celtics. Kevin McHale and Robert Parish are two of the bigger players who come to mind, as both share a spot with Bird in the Basketball Hall of Fame. Though from a name and skill standpoint, it’s hard to find a more-decorated teammate than Bill Walton.

Big Red is still considered one of the most gifted centers in NBA history, despite missing hundreds of games due to a string of foot injuries. He exchanged his Clipper Blue for Celtic Green in 1985, joining Bird on a squad coming off a defeat to the despised Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals.

However, Bird had a soft spot for the legendary UCLA player even before Walton moved to Boston, as he previously disclosed in an interview during his playing days.

Bill Walton was selected by Larry Bird as the player he most admired.

Bird became the highest-paid rookie in sports history when he joined the NBA in 1979. Walton was a two-time All-Star and a five-year veteran at that point. In addition, he was a champion who won an NBA Finals championship in 1977 with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Bird was asked to identify the player he looked up to the most during a sit-down interview. The three-time MVP continued by sharing how Walton’s skills influenced him when he was a little child (h/t: AllBasketballTV).

I think I’ve watched more performances by Bill Walton than anyone else. I recall the way he approached the game and how he shot 21 of 22. His core game play indicates his soundness, and I thoroughly loved seeing him play basketball.

Walton is better known for his dominance at the collegiate level even though he was a great in the NBA early in his career. For John Wooden’s Bruins, the 6-foot-11 center from La Mesa, California, was the recipient of two AP Player of the Year titles and two National Championships.

Walton had a great start to his career, but his heyday was fleeting. His seasons are either drastically or completely cut short by injuries. He was no longer a regular starter by 1984.

The veteran was traded by the Clippers to the Celtics in September 1985 in return for Cedric Maxwell and a first-round selection. However, Walton became the most well-known sixth man in the league because Boston already had Parish and McHale.