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Charles Barkley Gives Special Tribute to the Late Bill Walton on 'Inside the NBA'

Tom Dierberger

TNT
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Charles Barkley and the rest of TNT's Inside the NBA cast took a few minutes Tuesday to reflect on the late, great Bill Walton, who recently passed away at the age of 71.

"When I got that news yesterday, it hurt," Barkley said. "You're talking about [someone who was] great at basketball, great at life, great as a broadcaster. But just a great person. I've never seen someone who was more joyful to be around, who was always in a good mood.

"I explain it like this, Ernie. The world isn't as good of a place as it was yesterday. The world was better for having Bill Walton in it."

Barkley went on to say that one of his most prized possessions in life is a signed picture of himself, Walton and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar from a Final Four over a decade ago.

Shaquille O'Neal also saluted Walton, who he considers one of the four fathers of the Big Man Alliance along with Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell.

Reggie Miller, who played at UCLA from 1983 to '87, detailed how his relationship with Walton began around the Bruins.

Walton, the two-time national champion at UCLA and the 1977-78 NBA MVP, will be forever missed in the basketball world.

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Tom Dierberger
TOM DIERBERGER

Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor's in communication from St. John's University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.

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