Basketball Hall of Fame inductee and broadcasting legend Bill Walton was honored at last night’s Dead & Company’s performance at the Sphere in Las Vegas. The Grateful Dead spinoff band is currently enjoying a residency at the iconic venue, and took the opportunity to pay tribute to one of the group’s biggest fans.
The Sphere could be bringing its groundbreaking audio outside
Walton passed away on Monday after a battle with cancer, aged 71. Having referred to himself as a “proud Dead Head,” Walton claimed he had attended more than 869 Grateful Dead concerts. Dead & Company displayed his #32 jersey on their guitars as well as the Sphere’s massive indoor displays.
Walton was selected as the first overall pick in the 1974 NBA draft before enjoying a successful career in the league which lasted over a decade. After retiring as a player, Walton became a sports broadcasting icon, winning an Emmy in 1991 for his work. Dead & Company drummer Mickey Hart referred to Walton as his best friend. “He was an amazing person, singular, irreplaceable, giving, loving,” Hart told the Associated Press. “He called himself the luckiest man in the world but it was us who were lucky — to know him.”
