Voir ESPN Films: 30 for 30, Vol. 5 - Episode 15

Bill Walton reflects on what he means when he says – to anyone who will listen – that he is the luckiest guy in the world. Back at UCLA, he reminisces on butting heads with John Wooden, who policed every detail of his players’ lives – including the length of their hair and facial hair. On campus, the specter of Vietnam hits home, and antiwar protests ripple through the community. Walton experiences a searching period in his life during these tumultuous societal transformations. He becomes actively involved in civic engagement on campus, increasingly focused on peaceful demonstrations against the Vietnam War; he is arrested during a protest and earns admonishment from his conservative coach. Even as the Bruins remain the most feared team in college basketball, their record 88-game winning streak comes to an end at the hands of Notre Dame, and Walton’s bodily pain begins to rear its ugly head. His storied college career ends with a devastating loss to NC State in the NCAA tournament, a game he says he will never get over. He moves on to the NBA, where in Portland he lets his hair and beard grow – but his injuries mount. He continues his outspoken activism, which lands him in hot water when the FBI questions him about his possible involvement with Patty Hearst and the SLA. Present-day Walton returns to his Portland neighborhood and hangs out with ball-playing kids at the local court. He remembers how he overcame his disastrous first two years as a pro, under the guidance of the flashy-dressing head coach Jack Ramsay. He bonds with his teammates and remains open-minded on issues of race in an era of protest. The team begins to come together, and Walton forms a connection with Maurice Lucas – who tells Walton the Blazers are destined to win the NBA title.