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Chet Walker, a basketball Hall of Famer who made seven All-Star teams with the Philadelphia 76ers and Chicago Bulls, and won a championship in 1967, has died at 84 after a long-term battle with illness, the National Basketball Players Association announced on Saturday.
“Walker made a profound impact in our city and within our League,” the Sixers said in a statement.
“His skill, dedication and contributions to the game made a lasting impact on the sport of basketball and the city of Chicago,” the Bulls added. “Chet Walker will forever be remembered as a true Chicago Bulls icon.”
Born on February 22, 1940 in Bethlehem, Mississippi, Walker was the youngest of 10 children. He grew up in a house with no indoor plumbing or electricity, which he later described as “third world.” When he was 10 years old, his mother moved the family to Benton Harbor, Michigan after one of his sisters died of tuberculosis because a whites only hospital refused care.
In Michigan, Walker became a star at Benton Harbor High School. As a senior in 1958, he led the Tigers to the state championship game and a long-awaited showdown with Dave DuBusschere, who would also go on to a Hall of Fame career. Despite 25 points from Walker, Benton Harbor lost a heartbreaker, 71-68.
Following his prep career, Walker went to Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, where he became a two-time First Team All-American, a three-time All-Missouri Valley Conference honoree and led the Braves to the 1960 NIT championship at a time when that event was just as prestigious as the NCAA Tournament. He averaged 24.4 points and 12.8 rebounds during his four seasons in Peoria, where he also earned his “Chet the Jet” nickname. He later had his No. 31 retired by the program.
In the 1962 NBA Draft, the Syracuse Nationals selected Walker with the No. 12 overall pick (at that time a second-round pick). Walker put together solid rookie season, which turned out to be the end of professional basketball in Syracuse. Shortly after the conclusion of the 1962-63 season, the Nationals were sold…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/chet-walker-dies-at-84-basketball-hall-of-famer-was-seven-time-nba-all-star-with-76ers-bulls/
Author : Jack Maloney
Publish date : 2024-06-09 19:20:32
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