Photo: Bill Walton to Be Honored by Blazers with Uniform Band for 2024-25 NBA Season

Basketball Hall of Famer Bill Walton will be honored by the Portland Trail Blazers throughout the 2024-25 season.

The Blazers announced on Thursday that they will wear a band with Walton's No.

32 on their jersey for the entirety of the upcoming season and that there will be a special Walton tribute night as part of festivities for their March 9 game against the Detroit Pistons.

As part of the tribute night game, the Blazers are encouraging fans to wear tie-dye clothing and they will receive a special tie-dye headband "so they can rock Bill's classic style." Walton died on May 27 at the age of 71 after previously being diagnosed with cancer.

The NBA held a moment of silence for Walton before Game 1 of the Finals between the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics at TD Garden.

The Blazers selected Walton with the No.

1 overall pick in the 1974 NBA draft.

He entered the league after a storied four-year run at UCLA from 1970 to '74.

His college accolades include being named National Player of the Year three times, winning back-to-back national titles in 1971-72 and 1972-73 and being named Final Four Most Outstanding Player twice.

Walton's professional career was hindered by injuries, but he had a profound impact on the court when he did play.

He averaged 18.9 points, 13.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game during the 1977-78 season to win the NBA MVP award.

The Blazers won the NBA title during the 1976-77 season, with Walton earning Finals MVP honors.

He averaged 18.5 points, 19.0 rebounds and 5.2 assists in the six-game series against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Walton's No.

32 jersey was retired by the Trail Blazers in 1989.

He is one of 10 players in franchise history to have their number retired.

After retiring from the NBA following the 1987-88 season, Walton was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame five years later.

He was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2006..

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