The basketball world has lost a legend.
Basketball Hall of Famer Chet Walker has died at the age of 84, the Philadelphia 76ers announced Saturday.
Walker's NBA career spanned 13 years from 1962 to 1975. He was a seven-time All-Star before being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.
The 6-foot-7 forward, nicknamed “The Jet,” was a second-round pick by the Syracuse Nationals in the 1962 draft. Five years later, he helped lead the 76ers to an NBA championship. That 1967 team, which also featured fellow Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain, Hal Grier and Billy Cunningham, ended the Boston Celtics' eight-year championship streak.
After the 1968-69 season, Walker was traded to the Chicago Bulls and was a key player on the team's playoff run alongside Bob Love, Jerry Sloan and Norm Van Lier. He played his final six seasons with Chicago and is a member of the Bulls' Ring of Honor.
“A Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, Chet left an indelible mark on the court and in the hearts of our fans,” the Bulls said in a statement. “During his six seasons with the Bulls from 1969-1975, the team never missed the playoffs. He was a seven-time NBA All-Star and was an inaugural member of the Chicago Bulls Ring of Honor. His skill, dedication and contributions to the game left a lasting impact on the sport of basketball and the city of Chicago.”
Walker has never missed the playoffs with any team. His teams reached the postseason in each of his 13 seasons with the NBA and he never missed a playoff game. He averaged 18.2 points and 7.1 rebounds per game for his career, scoring 18,831 points in 1,032 games.
His illustrious career began when he accepted a basketball scholarship to Bradley University, where he was a two-time All-American and became the school's all-time leading scorer.
