The basketball globe has lost a legend.
Chet Walker, a Basketball Corridor of Famer, has died at the age of 84, the Philadelphia 76ers declared on Saturday.
Walker’s NBA vocation spanned 13 many years from 1962 to 1975. He was a seven-time All-Star ahead of staying inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.
Affectionately nicknamed “The Jet,” the 6-foot-7 ahead was selected by the Syracuse Nationals in the next spherical of the 1962 draft. 5 years later on, he served lead the 76ers to the NBA championship. That 1967 team, which also showcased fellow Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain, Hal Greer and Billy Cunningham, finished the eight-year championship run of the Boston Celtics.
Right after the 1968-69 time, Walker was traded to the Chicago Bulls, where by he grew to become an integral part of the crew alongside with Bob Appreciate, Jerry Sloan and Norm Van Lier throughout their playoff operates. He performed his ultimate six seasons with the Chicago and turned a member of the Bulls Ring of Honor.
“An inductee of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, Chet still left an indelible mark on the courtroom and in the hearts of lovers,” the Bulls explained in a statement. “During his six seasons with the Bulls from 1969 to 1975, the staff hardly ever skipped the playoffs. He was a 7-time NBA All-Star and an inaugural member of the Chicago Bulls Ring of Honor. His talent, determination and contributions to the match manufactured a long lasting influence on the activity of basketball and the town of Chicago.”
Walker hardly ever skipped the playoffs with any crew he played for. His group achieved the postseason in every of his 13 seasons and he never missed a playoff recreation. Around his vocation, he averaged 18.2 factors and 7.1 rebounds for every match, tallying 18,831 points in 1,032 game titles.
His adorned vocation began when he acquired a basketball scholarship to Bradley College, the place he was a two-time All-American and the school’s all-time primary scorer.