Charles Barkley delivers emotional Bill Walton tribute

Charles Barkley reacted emotionally to Bill Walton’s death on Tuesday, saying ‘the world is not as good of a place’ after the NBA Hall of Famer passed away from cancer at the age of 71.

Speaking on TNT’s ‘Inside the NBA,’ Barkley added to the many tributes from around the sports world for the former Blazers and Celtics star. 

‘When I got that news yesterday, it hurt,’ Barkley said. ‘Because you’re talking about [someone who was] great at basketball, great at life, great as a broadcaster. But just a great person. I’ve never seen a person who was more joyful to be around, who was always in a good mood.’

He continued, ‘I explain it like this, Ernie,’ speaking to the show’s host Ernie Johnson.

‘The world is not as good of a place [as] it was yesterday. The world was better for having Bill Walton in it… we lost a legitimate person.’

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Meanwhile, Barkley’s colleague Shaquille O’Neal offered an honest look at his relationship with Walton, saying it had been ‘up and down’ due to Walton’s criticism of him on the court while he was an NBA analyst.

However, O’Neal acknowledged that he had been ‘sensitive’ and came to appreciate Walton’s tough love.

He also said he called Bill’s son, Luke (O’Neal’s former teammate and a current assistant with the Cavs) to offer his condolences. 

‘I had to learn to listen to what these legends said,’ he said of Walton. ‘Because if you wanna become a legend, shouldn’t you listen to a legend before you?

‘He was hard on me, and I’m glad he was hard on me.’

O’Neal said he saw Walton at last year’s Final Four, and the pair shared a hug, with the UCLA legend telling O’Neal that he merely wanted to make him better with his criticism.

Fellow UCLA standout Reggie Miller, who started playing at the school nine years after Walton finished there, also detailed how Walton would visit campus and mentor him and his teammates.

Miller also said that he and Walton bonded over their love for cycling. 

Walton was also remembered by his former teammate Larry Bird, fellow NBA legend Julius Erving and even former US President Barack Obama.

‘I am sure that all of my teammates are as grateful as I am that we were able to know Bill, he was such a joy to know and he will be sorely missed,’ Bird said in a statement. ‘My family and I extend our sincere condolences to the Walton family.’

His death came hours before the Celtics swept the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals to advance to the NBA Finals.