LA MESA, Calif. — San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher has not fairly seven months to order tie-dyed jerseys or warmup gear earlier than his Aztecs play in the inaugural Bill Walton Classic.
It can be solely becoming, for the reason that doubleheader on Nov. 7 is certain to be a mashup of the issues Walton cherished probably the most: basketball, the Grateful Dead and his hometown.
“We’ll have to get on board with (Nike) Jordan and see what they’ll do for a one-off special game. I’d love to wear something tie-dyed for that game,” Dutcher mentioned after a information convention Wednesday in the fitness center at suburban Helix High, the place Walton starred practically 60 years in the past firstly of a hoops journey that took him to UCLA, the NBA after which into broadcasting.
The Bill Walton Classic will be performed at Pechanga Arena, the place Walton performed for the NBA’s Clippers in the early Nineteen Eighties earlier than they moved to Los Angeles.
The promoter, Sports San Diego, is in negotiations to discover a energy convention workforce to face the Aztecs. It will not be UCLA, which will play in the Rady Children’s Invitational on the University of San Diego throughout Thanksgiving weekend, however the Bruins may very well be invited in the long run.
Walton died of cancer on May 27, 2024, at age 71.
“This is long overdue,” Dutcher mentioned. “Bill Walton was a treasure, and anything we can do to put his name out there, we’re all for it.”
The doubleheader will open with a ladies’s recreation between USD and UC San Diego.
Walton received two NCAA championships underneath John Wooden at UCLA earlier than an NBA profession that included profitable league MVP in the 1977-78 season and championships with Portland and Boston. The Big Redhead performed elements of 4 seasons with the Clippers in San Diego and Los Angeles.
Long after his enjoying days ended, the Hall of Famer was an unofficial goodwill ambassador for San Diego, together with his disposition matching the perennial sunny climate.
Dutcher had a particular relationship with Walton. Dutcher was Steve Fisher’s high assistant once they recruited the youngest of Walton’s 4 basketball-playing sons, Chris, to play for the Aztecs in the early 2000s.
Dutcher remembers going to Walton’s house close to Balboa Park for dinner.
“It was great. Anybody that’s ever spent time with Bill knows what a great person he was,” Dutcher mentioned. (*7*)
The Walton house, which had a sizzling tub and tipi in the yard, grew to become a favourite hangout for Aztecs gamers, simply because it had been for members of Bill Walton’s favourite band, the Grateful Dead.
“And then to have him sitting courtside at Aztec games, and I think there was an Aztec player or two over the years that sat in that Walton hot tub with Tuffy when Chris played for us,” Dutcher mentioned. “So, what went on over there, I don’t ask. But I know the Aztec family spent a lot of time in that tipi and at the Walton house.”
