Chester "Chet" Walker (February 22, 1940 – June 8, 2024) was an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was a seven-time NBA All-Star. He had played 13 seasons in the NBA, seven with the Philadelphia 76ers, and he helped led the 76ers to an NBA championship in 1967. He had played his last six seasons for the Chicago Bulls from 1969 to 1975. He played college basketball for the Bradley Braves, twice earning first-team consensus All-American honors.
 Walker in 1975 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 22, 1940 Bethlehem, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | June 8, 2024 (aged 84) Long Beach, California, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
| Listed weight | 212 lb (96 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Benton Harbor (Benton Harbor, Michigan) |
| College | Bradley (1959–1962) |
| NBA draft | 1962: 2nd round, 12th overall pick |
| Selected by the Syracuse Nationals | |
| Playing career | 1962–1975 |
| Position | Small forward |
| Number | 25 |
| Career history | |
| 1962–1969 | Syracuse Nationals / Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1969–1975 | Chicago Bulls |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Career statistics | |
| Points | 18,831 (18.2 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 7,314 (7.1 rpg) |
| Assists | 2,126 (2.1 apg) |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
| Basketball Hall of Fame as player | |
Early life edit
Born in Bethlehem, Mississippi,[1] Walker played high school basketball for the Benton Harbor High School boys basketball team.[2] He graduated from Bradley University in 1962 as the school's all-time leading scorer.[3] The Bradley Braves[4] won the National Invitation Tournament championship in 1957 and 1960. Walker's speed and agility on the court earned him the nickname "Chet the Jet."[5]
NBA career edit
Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers (1962-1969) edit
Walker was drafted by the Syracuse Nationals in the 1962 NBA draft,[6] and was named to the NBA's first All-Rookie Team in 1963.[7] He followed the team to Philadelphia after his rookie season. Walker averaged over 19 points and eight rebounds a game for the 1966–67 76ers, who won 68 games and lost just 13—the best record in NBA history at the time.[8] That Alex Hannum-coached team, which also featured center Wilt Chamberlain, guards Hal Greer and Wali Jones, and sixth man Billy Cunningham, ended the eight-year championship run of the Boston Celtics.[9]
Chicago Bulls (1969-1975) edit
Walker played his final six seasons with the Chicago Bulls, and never averaged less than 19.2 points and 5.0 rebounds a game. In his 13-year career, Walker scored a total of 18,831 points.[10] The 6–6 forward was an outstanding free-throw shooter, especially in his later years with the Bulls.[11] He led the NBA with an accuracy rate of 85.9 percent in 1970–71, and ranked among the top-10 free-throwers five other times. On February 6, 1972, Walker scored a career-high and then team-record 56 points during a Bulls win over the Cincinnati Royals.[12]
Walker was a seven-time participant in the NBA All-Star Game.[13]
Post playing career edit
After his playing days, Walker became a moderately successful TV movie producer. He is the author of a memoir entitled Long Time Coming: A Black Athlete's Coming-of-Age in America (1995).[14] Walker also appeared in The White Shadow in Season 3's "If Your Number's Up, Get it Down" as a former Chicago Bulls' teammate of Coach Ken Reeves (Ken Howard).[15]
On February 24, 2012 (two days after his 72nd birthday) it was announced that Walker was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame by the veterans committee.[16] He was formally inducted into the Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts on September 7, 2012.[17][18]
Death edit
Walker died in Long Beach, California on June 8, 2024, at age of 84.[19][20] The NBA stated Walker’s death is a result of a longterm illness.[21]
NBA career statistics edit
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| † | Won an NBA championship |
Regular season edit
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962–63 | Syracuse | 78 | – | 25.5 | .469 | – | .699 | 7.2 | 1.1 | – | – | 12.3 |
| 1963–64 | Philadelphia | 76 | – | 36.5 | .440 | – | .711 | 10.3 | 1.6 | – | – | 17.3 |
| 1964–65 | Philadelphia | 79 | – | 27.7 | .403 | – | .742 | 6.7 | 1.7 | – | – | 13.2 |
| 1965–66 | Philadelphia | 80 | – | 32.5 | .451 | – | .716 | 8.0 | 2.5 | – | – | 15.3 |
| 1966–67† | Philadelphia | 81 | – | 33.2 | .488 | – | .766 | 8.1 | 2.3 | – | – | 19.3 |
| 1967–68 | Philadelphia | 82 | – | 32.0 | .460 | – | .726 | 7.4 | 1.9 | – | – | 17.9 |
| 1968–69 | Philadelphia | 82 | – | 33.6 | .484 | – | .804 | 7.8 | 1.8 | – | – | 18.0 |
| 1969–70 | Chicago | 78 | – | 34.9 | .477 | – | .850 | 7.7 | 2.5 | – | – | 21.5 |
| 1970–71 | Chicago | 81 | – | 36.1 | .465 | – | .859 | 7.3 | 2.2 | – | – | 22.0 |
| 1971–72 | Chicago | 78 | – | 33.2 | .505 | – | .847 | 6.1 | 2.3 | – | – | 22.0 |
| 1972–73 | Chicago | 79 | – | 31.1 | .478 | – | .832 | 5.0 | 2.3 | – | – | 19.9 |
| 1973–74 | Chicago | 82 | – | 32.5 | .486 | – | .875 | 5.0 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 19.3 |
| 1974–75 | Chicago | 76 | – | 32.3 | .487 | – | .860 | 5.7 | 2.2 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 19.2 |
| Career | 1,032 | – | 32.4 | .470 | – | .796 | 7.1 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 18.2 | |
| All-Star | 7 | 1 | 17.9 | .435 | – | .850 | 2.6 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8.1 | |
Playoffs edit
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | Syracuse | 5 | – | 26.0 | .509 | – | .733 | 9.4 | 1.8 | – | – | 15.2 |
| 1964 | Philadelphia | 5 | – | 38.0 | .390 | – | .739 | 10.4 | 2.6 | – | – | 18.8 |
| 1965 | Philadelphia | 11 | – | 42.6 | .480 | – | .760 | 7.2 | 1.6 | – | – | 20.3 |
| 1966 | Philadelphia | 5 | – | 36.2 | .375 | – | .806 | 7.4 | 3.0 | – | – | 14.6 |
| 1967† | Philadelphia | 15 | – | 36.7 | .467 | – | .807 | 7.6 | 2.1 | – | – | 21.7 |
| 1968 | Philadelphia | 13 | – | 37.3 | .410 | – | .679 | 7.4 | 1.8 | – | – | 19.1 |
| 1969 | Philadelphia | 4 | – | 27.3 | .535 | – | .667 | 5.8 | 2.0 | – | – | 13.5 |
| 1970 | Chicago | 5 | – | 35.6 | .422 | – | .818 | 8.4 | 2.2 | – | – | 19.4 |
| 1971 | Chicago | 7 | – | 33.4 | .440 | – | .708 | 7.1 | 3.1 | – | – | 15.0 |
| 1972 | Chicago | 4 | – | 24.3 | .421 | – | .813 | 3.5 | 1.0 | – | – | 11.3 |
| 1973 | Chicago | 7 | – | 32.7 | .347 | – | .892 | 8.9 | 2.0 | – | – | 16.7 |
| 1974 | Chicago | 11 | – | 36.6 | .509 | – | .861 | 5.5 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 20.9 |
| 1975 | Chicago | 13 | – | 33.2 | .494 | – | .880 | 4.6 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 17.5 |
| Career | 105 | – | 35.1 | .449 | – | .787 | 7.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 18.2 | |
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Smith, Sam (September 5, 2012). "Chet the Jet joins basketball greats in the Hall of Fame". NBA.COM. National Basketball Association. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
- ^ "Chet Walker dies at 84: Basketball Hall of Famer was seven-time NBA All-Star with 76ers, Bulls". CBSSports.com. June 9, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ "Bradley Athletics Mourns the Passing of Basketball Legend Chet "The Jet" Walker". Bradley University Athletics. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ ESPN; Bradley, Bill (October 6, 2009). ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Men's Game. Random House Digital, Inc. pp. 11–. ISBN 978-0-345-51392-2. Retrieved September 29, 2011.
- ^ "Former Bulls star Chet 'The Jet' Walker dies at 84". Chicago Sun-Times. June 9, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ Press, The Associated (June 9, 2024). "Chet Walker, Hall of Fame forward whose NBA career started in Syracuse, dies at 84". syracuse. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ Johnson, K. C. (June 9, 2024). "Chet Walker, a Chicago Bulls Hall of Famer who helped initiate change in the NBA, dies at 84". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ "Season Review: 1966-67". NBA.com. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ "Legends profile: Chet Walker". NBA.com. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ "Chicago Bulls release statement after death of Hall of Famer Chet Walker". NBC Sports Chicago. June 9, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ "Q&A with Chet Walker". www.nba.com. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ "Walker Scores 56 Points (Published 1972)". The New York Times. February 7, 1972. Archived from the original on May 29, 2023.
- ^ "Basketball HOF forward Walker dies at age of 84". ESPN.com. June 9, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ "Long Time Coming: A Black Athlete's Coming-Of-Age in America by Chet Walker". www.publishersweekly.com. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ "Hall of Famer and Bulls legend Chet Walker, one of the greatest to grace the Chicago sports world, dies at 84". www.nba.com. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ "Chet Walker among five direct-elects for Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame". www.nba.com. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ "Chet the Jet joins basketball greats in the Hall of Fame". www.nba.com. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ Hayes, Patrick (September 7, 2012). "Chet Walker NBA Hall Of Fame Speech: Benton Harbor Great Inducted". SB Nation Detroit. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ Araton, Harvey (June 9, 2024). "Chet Walker, N.B.A. Champion and Movie Producer, Dies at 84". The New York Times. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
- ^ Seven-time NBA All-Star Chet Walker dies at age of 84
- ^ Sam Smith (June 9, 2024). "Hall of Famer and Bulls legend Chet Walker, one of the greatest to grace the Chicago sports world, dies at 84". NBA.com. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
