Monday was a tragic day for basketball fans and media alike with the death of legendary NBA player and broadcaster Bill Walton, especially for individuals who knew him well, like longtime on-air partner Dave Pasch.
The 2 had been calling college basketball games alongside each other since 2013 and have become well-known for his or her on-air antics with each other, which regularly drew plenty of guffaws from viewers.
“Bill and I had a special friendship,” Pasch said during a “SportsCenter” interview Monday. “He used to inform me lots, he would take the headset off during a industrial break and just say to me, ‘I like you, but don’t tell anybody.’ He just enjoyed the proven fact that I used to be his sparring partner and that he could have a good time with me and just take shots at me.
“I knew that it was all just a part of the sport, and off the air we had an ideal friendship. Bill paid for each meal. I remember the last game I had with Bill was Feb. 1 at USC. It was rare it was just the 2 of us. … We were talking lots concerning the future. It was only a conversation I’ll always remember.”
Walton died from cancer his family announced on Monday. He was 71 years old.
He had a standout 10-year basketball profession that included stops with the Trail Blazers, Clippers and Celtics.
Walton moved over to the printed booth with time at CBS, NBC and ESPN, where he began working Pasch as an analyst on Pac-12 broadcasts.
Walton was most remembered for his funny and bizarre moments that always had little to do with what was happening on the court.
“There won’t ever be one other Bill. Love you & miss you my friend,” Pasch wrote on X alongside an image of himself with Walton during a broadcast.
