Larry Bird joined the chorus of those paying tribute to Bill Walton on Monday, in the hours after the Hall of Famer’s death at the age of 71.
“I am very sorry about my good friend, Bill Walton. I love him as a friend and teammate,” Bird, 67, wrote in a statement. “It was a thrill for me to play with my childhood idol and together we earned an NBA Championship in 1986. He is one of the greatest to ever play the game. I am sure that all of my teammates are as grateful as I am that we were able to know Bill; he was such a joy to know and he will be sorely missed.