Bill Walton Classic, new college tournament honoring NBA legend, coming to San Diego
A college basketball tournament named in honor of basketball Hall of Famer and a San Diego legend Bill Walton is coming to his hometown, it was announced Wednesday.
The Bill Walton Classic, a four-team double-header event featuring major college basketball teams, will be played in November at Pachanga Arena in San Diego. The announcement of the event was made Wednesday morning at Helix High School in La Mesa, Walton’s alma mater.
San Diego State head coach Brian Dutcher was fittingly on hand for the announcement because SDSU will be one of the teams participating in the first Bill Walton Classic. The men’s team will play a yet-to-be determined NCAA D1 team. The University of San Diego and UC San Diego’s women’s teams will also be in the first event.
Walton was born on Nov. 5, 1952, in La Mesa, where he led the Helix Highlanders to San Diego Section championships in 1969 and 1970, when the team authored a 49-game winning streak. The city of La Mesa just honored his legendary career by naming the intersection of Lowell Street and Normal Avenue “Bill Walton Way” near Helix High.
Walton then had a record-breaking run at UC Los Angeles. He was the number one overall pick in the 1974 NBA Draft by the Portland Trailblazers and was a member of their championship team in 1977. He then won the title again with the Boston Celtics in 1986.
The NBA All-Star was with the Clippers for their relocation from San Diego to Los Angeles in 1985. he was inducted in the Hall of Fame as part of the class of 1993.
Walton passed away in May 2024 at the age of 71 following a prolonged battle with cancer.
The Bill Walton Classic is being put on by Sports San Diego, a sports-focused tourism group.
“The Bill Walton Classic is meant to lift up our three Division I basketball programs, unite San Diego’s basketball community under one roof for an extraordinary evening, and pay tribute to a true San Diego legend and Hall of Famer — Bill Walton,” Sports San Diego CEO Mark Neville said. “Nights like this remind us of what’s possible when this city comes together around the game.”
Pre-sales are underway, with tickets available to the general public beginning Friday at 10 a.m.. Prices range from $60 to $160.
City News Service contributed to this report.
