The news of Portland Trail Blazers great Bill Walton’s passing last Monday at 71 due to cancer sparked a wave of praise and admiration for the generational big man in Portland and across the basketball world.
He was that type of player and that type of person.
In a Sunday guest column for The Oregonian, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore, joined that chorus of praise by reflecting on what made Walton so special on and off the court, paying special attention to Walton’s willingness to stand up for his beliefs.