The NBA honored the late Bill Walton in a touching way Thursday before Game 1 of The Finals.
Prior to tipoff between the Celtics and Mavericks at TD Garden in Boston, players wore black T-shirts with “Walton” written in tie-dye colors, a nod to Walton’s bold styles and love for the Grateful Dead.
“I can’t think of a better ambassador for the NBA than Bill. He enjoyed talking to every single person,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said before the game, according to the Associated Press. “It’s a sad moment in the league.”
Walton, who won an NBA title with the Celtics in 1986, died in late May after a long battle with cancer.
During warmups Thursday, Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown wore “Walton” shirts.
The Celtics, chasing their 18th NBA championship, later held a moment of silence for Walton, whose family was in attendance. They also wore the “Walton” T-shirts.
The team additionally distributed tie-dye pins that featured “Walton” written in black.
The Celtics got off to a dominant start Thursday night, defeating the Mavericks 107-89 to take a 1-0 series lead.
Game 2 is set for Sunday before Games 3 and 4 shift to Dallas next Wednesday and Friday, respectively.
A beloved figure, Walton’s death sent shock waves through the league and sports media community, with countless tributes pouring in for the two-time NBA champion.
“Bill and I had a special friendship,” Walton’s longtime broadcast partner, Dave Pasch, told ESPN last month. “He used to tell me a lot, he would take the headset off during a commercial break and just say to me, ‘I love you, but don’t tell anybody.
“He just enjoyed the fact that I was his sparring partner. He could have fun with me and just take shots at me. I knew that it was all just part of the game, and off the air we had a great friendship.”
A former UCLA product, Walton was drafted No. 1 overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in 1974.
Walton secured a championship with Portland in 1977 before joining the Clippers in 1979. He was traded to the Celtics in 1985 and finished his career in Boston, winning one championship.
He then transitioned into broadcasting and became a two-time Emmy-winning basketball analyst, working Pac-12 telecasts for ESPN.
Walton is survived by wife Lori and sons Adam, Chris, Luke and Nate.