Late Blazers great Bill Walton to have numerous items auctioned off

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The personal collection of one of the greatest players to ever wear a Portland Trail Blazers uniform will be offered at auction next month.

Bill Walton’s litany of valuable memorabilia is set to be offered in an online auction on June 12. The auction will include numerous valuable items from Walton’s illustrious basketball career, including multiple Blazer-related items. The Blazers legend passed away nearly a year ago at the age of 71.

The collection is being offered by Walton’s family, with part of the proceeds going towards the orthopedic department at the University of California San Diego.

“We are pleased to be presenting this offering of Bill’s memorabilia to his many fans. Bill’s career within the game of basketball spanned over five decades and through that time he was always so appreciative of the fans and people that supported him from his college days at UCLA through the NBA cities of Portland, San Diego, Los Angeles, and Boston. Our family has been blessed with many priceless experiences as a result of Bill’s basketball career. It is in the spirit of the support that fans displayed to Bill throughout those many seasons that we are sharing some of his memorabilia with that same group of special people,” Walton’s wife Lori said.

Walton’s first championship ring, which he won with the Blazers in 1977, is among one of the most valuable items available at the auction — Walton won his second title with the Boston Celtics in 1986. Its estimated value is between $50K and $100K.

Additionally, his 1977-78 MVP trophy and a game-worn Blazers jersey from that same season are also available to purchase The MVP award is valued between $50K and $75K, while the jersey is valued between $25K and $50K — Walton is the only player in Blazers history to receive an MVP award.

Along with being named to the NBA 50th and 75th Greatest Player anniversary teams and being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Walton is arguably the greatest collegiate player of all time. He led UCLA to two championships in the ’70s and is one of only two players to with three NCAA Player of the Year awards.

“Bill Walton stands as a titan in the history of the game of basketball,” said David Hunt, the president of Hunt Auctions. “We are honored to present Bill Walton’s personal collection which is one of the most important of its type to have been offered at public auction.”

Along with the basketball items, the auction will include hundreds of Grateful Dead materials, as well as numerous items from Walton’s broadcasting career, which spanned three decades.