All-time UCLA Bruins March Madness starting lineup
By Josh Yourish
. . Bill Walton. Bill Walton. PF. player. . 1972-74. Bill Walton. 518
No, Bill Walton is not a center, but he was plenty athletic to play the four alongside another legendary center and his excellent passing will make it work. Across his three years on the court at UCLA, he won two national titles, was named to the All-NCAA Tournament team three times, named NCAA All-Region three times, was a two-time National Player of the Year, three-time Naismith Award winner, and three-time Consensus All-American.
If he had won a third title in his senior year, he would have arguably been the most decorated college basketball player of all time.
For his career, he averaged 20.3 points and 15.7 rebounds, and across his 12 NCAA Tournament games, Walton averaged 21.5 points and 14.7 boards, but he always raised his game to meet the stakes.
In six games in the first two rounds of the then 32-team tournament, Walton only averaged 17.3 points for his career. Then, in the Final Four, he took over. Walton went 4-1 in Final Four and Championship games, the only loss coming in the 1974 Final Four to NC State, and he averaged 28.8 points and 17.8 boards.
His greatest moment came in the 1973 National Championship Game against Memphis when he dropped 44 points on the Tigers on 21-22 from the field. It was an utter masterpiece on the biggest possible stage.