Knicks Broadcasting Legend Fueled Bill Walton's Career

The late Bill Walton credited a New York Knicks broadcasting legend for launching his second career in broadcasting.

March 14, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Pac-12 Network broadcaster Bill Walton smiles during the second half in the championship game of the Pac-12 Conference tournament between the Oregon Ducks and the Arizona Wildcats at MGM Grand Garden Arena. The Wildcats defeated the Ducks 80-52. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

A New York Knicks broadcaster offered the late Bill Walton a vital assist as he embarked on a new career.

Walton, who passed away on Monday, earned hardwood acclaim on both the collegiate and professional levels before introducing himself to a new generation of fans with his broadcasting career with CBS, NBC, ESPN, and Pac-12 Network. The UCLA alum became particularly loved among Pac-12 fans, who enjoyed his ESPN antics alongside play-by-play man Dave Pasch in what became some of the conference's final hours.

Jan 18, 2024; Stanford, California, USA; PAC-12 Network play-by-play commentator Bill Walton after the game between the Stanford Cardinal and the Washington State Cougars at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports / Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports

If not for Marty Glickman, it might've never happened.

Walton grew up with a stutter that could've derailed his broadcasting career before it ever started. It was Glickman, the renowned radio voice of the Knicks and other New York sports, who helped him overcome his vocal issues. Walton documented Glickman's help in a 2011 essay posted on the official website of The Stuttering Foundation, one that documented a series of tips that he obtained in a brief yet impactful conversation (as well as one-sided, as Walton noted he literally could not speak at the time).

"Slow your thoughts down. Think about what you are saying now, not three or four sentences ahead," Walton recalled. "Don't be in a hurry. You will not successfully communicate with speed, but rather with concise, analytical content."

"Become a teacher, to anyone, anywhere, on any subject," Walton continued. "Start with young children with a topic that you know, they won't care about your limitations, all they care about is that you are willing to spend time with them and are trying to give them the gift of knowledge ... When you stumble, stop, then start again, find your pace, your rhythm, your game."

Sep 10, 2022; Springfield, MA, USA; Bill Walton at the 2022 Basketball Hall of Fame at Symphony Hall. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

"Everyone makes mistakes, it's what you do after those mistakes that will determine your ultimate success and happiness turnovers out of commission are what people are looking fo, -they mean you're a player."

Other tips include chewing sugarless gum, reading material aloud, and identifying the sounds that offer the most trouble (Walton said that his were "D's, H's, S's, Th's and W's."). Walton said that Glickman's advice was summed up in four "laws:" demonstration, explanation, correction, and repetition.

"That's it. For me, no magic, no medication, no gimmicks, no shortcuts, no tricks," Walton concluded. "Just a plan, a vision, a dream … and a lot of hard work."

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