INDIANAPOLIS (AP) 鈥� Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle poured out his heart Monday night when he started reflecting on the impact of Bill Walton.
He recalled how Walton's arrival helped turn the 1985-86 Boston Celtics into an NBA title team for the ages. Carlisle explained how playing with Walton extended his own career and how Walton's generosity even helped Carlisle impress his future wife on their first date.
Yes, was a character 鈥� one Carlisle thinks will always stand alone.
鈥淭o me, he was a living, breathing event in history just walking around,鈥� Carlisle said before the Pacers and Celtics met in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals. 鈥淗e played drums for the Grateful Dead at the Pyramids in Egypt. He was a guy who did everything and there鈥檚 been a lot of talk today about how he speaks in hyperbole and stuff, but he just defiantly competed for every moment in life to be the greatest it could possibly be.鈥�
While some considered the Hall of Famer's uniquely free-spirited persona the product of a bygone, war-protesting era,
The first time they met, Carlisle said he was shocked to see Walton eating a large roast beef sandwich instead of the expected vegetarian dish. At practices, Carlisle said, Walton raised the competition level so high the starters and backups argued about who won the most scrimmages.
But, when it was time for business, Walton went all in 鈥� on the court and off of it.
Perhaps no event showed more about Walton's character than the moment Carlisle asked for tickets to a 1987 Grateful Dead concert in suburban Washington.
鈥淚 said, 鈥楲ook, I鈥檝e got a date with a girl I think is really cool, I鈥檇 love to go to the Dead show at Capital Centre, but I don鈥檛 have any tickets, can you help?鈥欌�� Carlisle recounted of the band's tallest fan. 鈥淗e said, 鈥楯ust go to the back door, ask for Dennis McNally, tell him you鈥檙e Rick Carlisle from the Boston Celtics and everything will be just fine.鈥� I said, 鈥楻eally?鈥欌��
When the skeptical Carlisle pulled onto the loading dock, he jumped out of the car, walked down the ramp and asked his date, Donna, to wait for him to return.
"She said, 鈥橶hat, don't you have tickets?' I said, 鈥橨ust give me a couple minutes here.鈥� So I walked down (the ramp), I knocked on the door, the whole thing ended up working out. I walked back up the loading dock ramp with two all-access laminates, one said Bill Walton, the other said Susie Walton.鈥�
Eventually, Carlisle and Donna walked through a stage door and had a low-key conversation with group members Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir and Mickey Hart. It was a moment, and a gesture, Carlisle never forgot from someone who became a lifelong friend.
Carlisle married his date from that night 13 years later, and the bond between Walton and Carlisle only became stronger over the years.
The two often exchanged text messages, right through this year's NBA playoffs and Carlisle relayed those messages to his players, explaining how much Walton enjoyed watching the Pacers and their track-like tempo 鈥� right up until the end.
鈥淗e was a game-changer on so many levels and in so many people鈥檚 lives over such a long period of time,鈥� Carlisle said before the Pacers had a moment of silence before the game. 鈥淚 talked to Luke (Walton) today for a few minutes, you know, they鈥檙e doing OK, but this has been tough, obviously, and it will continue to be tough. But what an amazing man. There will never be another.鈥�
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AP NBA:
Michael Marot, The Associated Press
