With the additions of Jim Gray and Bill Walton to the Kings radio and television crew that already includes Gary Gerould, Grant Napear, Jerry Reynolds and Fat Lever, the situation looks a little crowded. Or, maybe not. Pre-game shows. Post-game shows. In-game chats. Who can keep up with this stuff? Gray is being counted on to grab interviews with high profile types inside and outside basketball, so don't expect him to be poking his head into the huddle, tossing T-shirts, hawking season tickets, etc., as do so many NBA sideline reporters these days (I always felt badly for the departed Kayte Christensen, who was very insightful on post-game radio).
Walton's role seems far less defined. Unlike Gray, who has numerous obligations to other networks for golf, college basketball and boxing events, among other things, the Hall of Fame center said he's available for anything and everything, and more than working a handful of Kings games in L.A.- assuming his surgically repaired back holds up. He was forced to retire as ESPN's NBA analyst in 2008 because of a chronic problem, and as detailed in a number of publications these past few weeks, he was in excruciating pain before undergoing an innovative procedure 15 months ago.
When I reached him at his San Diego home earlier Wednesday, he was giddy, thoughtful, humble, emotional. He kept thanking the Maloofs and repeating how grateful he was to be back with a team - he said salary has yet to be discussed - and made it clear that, in his mind, this isn't a short-term deal. At one point, when I asked what it felt like to be returning to basketball after a 2 1/2 year absence, he choked up.
That hoops connection
Walton has known Paul Westphal since their UCLA/USC days, prodded his son Nathan to attend Princeton on Pete Carril's recommendation, and was a teammate of both Geoff Petrie and Spencer Hawes' uncle (Steve) in Portland. So he's not a total stranger. In particular, I can't wait to hear his analysis of young Spence, who loves to shoot and pass, but isn't keen on mixing it up inside.
Of all Walton's NBA-related relationships, however, his friendship with Gray might be the most important. (The two were broadcast partners with CBS and NBC for the better part of 20 years, so yeah, you can guess that Gray encouraged Joe Maloof to make that phone call after reading the LA Times article Sunday). According to Walton, it was Gray who urged him to contact Dr. Steven Garfin, the UC San Diego surgeon who performed the eight-hour procedure in which two titanium rods and four-inch bolts were inserted into his spine.
"Before I had the surgery, Jim was calling me every day, telling me 'don't give up, don't give up,' " said Walton, 57. "I would be down on the floor, not even able to crawl. You talk about a friend ..."
Final thoughts on the big redhead (deadhead, greyhead)
In April, 2009, while I was preparing a series of articles for Vlade Divac's retirement ceremonies at Arco Arena, I left a message for Bill and received a return call within a matter of minutes. He was recovering from the surgery - of which I had no clue - and must have been in a lot of pain, yet was incredibly gracious and generous with his time. When I asked how he was feeling, he changed the subject, and wanted to know what was going on with the Kings. Guess he'll see for himself.
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