Bill Walton isn’t too happy about UCLA’s move to the Big Ten
In two years, UCLA will leave the Pac-12 and join the Big Ten. The move will provide a massive influx of cash for a cash-strapped athletic department, provide greater visibility for student-athletes across the board, and give the Bruins’ top-tier revenue sports a greater chance to compete for national championships.
You can understand all that and still be sad about the move. Some aren’t thrilled. Bill Walton seems hurt.
The former Bruin center — one of the greatest to ever grace a college basketball court — was recently asked by ThePostGame to give his thoughts on the move.
“I love UCLA,” he said. For a moment, it looked like Walton would say something else, but you can see him pause, reconsider, and then just nod his head.
Bill Walton needed just three words to express his feelings about #UCLA joining the #BigTen. pic.twitter.com/eZift4eBtj
— ThePostGame (@ThePostGame) August 25, 2022
Enough said, Bill.
Walton’s résumé is the stuff of legend. He three-peated as the Naismith Player of the Year while with the Bruins. He was a consensus All-American all three years in Westwood. He was a two-time national champion. He was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1974 NBA Draft, selected by the Blazers.
He was a league MVP and a two-time NBA champion, and then inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993.
Now, he’s one of college basketball’s most colorful commentators. Walton’s love for the Pac-12 is evident during game broadcasts. His love for UCLA is obvious. It’ll take some time for Bruin faithful to get used to seeing the Bruins in Big Ten country and with Big Ten branding replacing that of the league it has called home since its formation.