Pacers coach Rick Carlisle cherishes relationship forged with former Celtics teammate Bill Walton
"To me, he was a living, breathing event in history just walking around. He was involved in so many events in pop culture, in sports.”
INDIANAPOLIS — Pacers coach Rick Carlisle spoke at length Monday night during his press conference before Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals about his relationship with the late Bill Walton and how much the former Celtics center meant to him.
“I’m thankful to him,” Carlisle said. “I know there’s been a lot of talk today about what he’s meant to the whole world. To me, he was a living, breathing event in history just walking around. He was involved in so many events in pop culture, in sports.”
“He played drums for the Grateful Dead in the pyramids in Egypt. He was a guy that did everything. There’s been a lot of talk today about how he speaks in hyperbole so much, but he defiantly competed for every moment in life to be the greatest it could possibly be. That’s the best way to describe it.”
The NBA announced Monday that Walton died at the age of 71 after a prolonged battle with cancer. Carlisle said he spoke with Walton’s son Luke for a few minutes earlier in the day.
“They’re doing OK, but this has been tough,” Carlisle said. “Obviously, it will continue to be tough. What an amazing man. There never be another.”
Carlisle said he was in touch with Bill Walton throughout Indiana’s playoff run before his death. The coach shared some of his 1985-86 championship teammate’s messages with the Pacers.
“I’ve been on a text message thread with our ’86 team and some of the memories are beyond priceless. He has stayed in touch with me, he has been texting me a lot throughout our playoffs.”
“I read some of his text messages to our players during our prep session before we went out on the court just so they could realize the impact they’re having on people all around basketball. Bill really liked our team, liked the way we played.”
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