Once again, Bill Walton was the gift that kept on giving Thursday night. Assigned to the Arizona-UCLA at the fabled Pauley Pavilion on ESPN2 with regular Pac-12 partner Dave Pasch, the game which was mostly a UCLA blowout for much of the second half turned into a barnburner at the end requiring a Bryce Alford three to win the game for the Bruins, 87-84. Great call by Pasch here.

Bill Walton was his usual self, intertwining Bondi Beach in Australia with Los Angeles and Temecula all in one story, then making Temecula a recurring theme throughout the game.

And of course, there were his one-liner gems sprinkled throughout like this one:

After seeing his UCLA #32 jersey hanging from the Pauley Pavilion rafters and also talking about the upcoming anniversary season of the 1977 Portland Blazers NBA Championship, Pasch and Walton had the following exchange:

Pasch: Is this the 40-year anniversary of your (NBA) MVP Award?
Walton: (pause) No.
Pasch: Are you sure?
Walton: (even longer pause) I don’t know! I know I’m 63!

At halftime, UCLA alum and Oklahoma City Thunder star Russell Westbrook was in Pauley along with teammate Kevin Durant. Both Pasch and Walton took the opportunity to don the signature glasses that Westbrook has become known for during his postgame press conferences:

Bill Walton, Dave Pasch and Russell Westbrook
And during a segment of Walton’s World where Bill discussed his son Luke, now the interim head coach of the Golden State Warriors, ESPN2 showed a picture of Bill wearing a tank top while playing chess with Luke. Pasch asked Bill about it and Walton said, “I love that tank top. I almost wore it tonight!”

Bill and Luke Walton
To top it off, ESPN2 ended the Walton’s World segment with the following quote:

Luke Walton quote
Pasch asked Bill if he was suggesting that Luke live like a frat boy, but Walton replied that he was misquoted in the first half, but the second half about having the time of his life was correct.

To top it off, Pasch and Walton talked with Bryce Alford after the game-winning shot to discuss his thinking and about having Westbrook in the house:

Certainly a stellar night for UCLA and one to have Bill Walton calling the games with Dave Pasch once again.

About Ken Fang

Ken has been covering the sports media in earnest at his own site, Fang's Bites since May 2007 and at Awful Announcing since March 2013.

He provides a unique perspective having been an award-winning radio news reporter in Providence and having worked in local television.

Fang celebrates the four Boston Red Sox World Championships in the 21st Century, but continues to be a long-suffering Cleveland Browns fan.

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