The Luckiest Guy in the World

Episode 1 opens with Bill Walton beside a forest stream in Oregon, reflecting on his unique journey – the challenges, triumphs, and above all the joy that have defined his one-of-a-kind life. He returns to Portland for an emotional reunion with some of his Blazers teammates, and it’s clear that he still holds deep affection for the franchise and the time he spent there. He visits his mother and revisits childhood memories, in particular his falling in love with basketball. At Helix High, he experiences a dramatic growth spurt – physically, and in terms of his basketball ability. At the same time, he struggles with a speech impediment that requires him to see a therapist. The earliest seeds of his life as an activist begin to take root, as Walton looks back at his rookie season in Portland. He reflects on the impact he made on the Portland franchise and the impact it made on him. Walton also provides a glimpse into his time at UCLA and the relationship with John Wooden that has profoundly affected every aspect of his life. Even as he finds incredible success on the court at UCLA, he also discovers something else: the transformational energy of the 1960s. When the Grateful Dead perform on campus, Walton attends the show – and the band becomes an integral part of his life. That life is highlighted by his family, his marriage, and on-court successes like his record-shattering title game performance in leading UCLA to a championship. The story returns to his time with the Blazers, when bone spurs and health concerns lead some to wonder if the Big Redhead would ever live up to his immense promise.

Bill Walton reflects on what he means when he says – to anyone who will listen – that he is the luckiest guy in the world. Back at UCLA, he reminisces on butting heads with John Wooden, who policed every detail of his players’ lives – including the length of their hair and facial hair. On campus, the specter of Vietnam hits home, and antiwar protests ripple through the community. Walton experiences a searching period in his life during these tumultuous societal transformations. He becomes actively involved in civic engagement on campus, increasingly focused on peaceful demonstrations against the Vietnam War; he is arrested during a protest and earns admonishment from his conservative coach. Even as the Bruins remain the most feared team in college basketball, their record 88-game winning streak comes to an end at the hands of Notre Dame, and Walton’s bodily pain begins to rear its ugly head. His storied college career ends with a devastating loss to NC State in the NCAA tournament, a game he says he will never get over. He moves on to the NBA, where in Portland he lets his hair and beard grow – but his injuries mount. He continues his outspoken activism, which lands him in hot water when the FBI questions him about his possible involvement with Patty Hearst and the SLA. Present-day Walton returns to his Portland neighborhood and hangs out with ball-playing kids at the local court. He remembers how he overcame his disastrous first two years as a pro, under the guidance of the flashy-dressing head coach Jack Ramsay. He bonds with his teammates and remains open-minded on issues of race in an era of protest. The team begins to come together, and Walton forms a connection with Maurice Lucas – who tells Walton the Blazers are destined to win the NBA title.

The story of basketball Hall of Famer Bill Walton.

Walton claims he’s 6’11” – and pushes back against everyone else who claims he’s taller. He reflects on what he hoped would be a fresh start in San Diego with the Clippers, but that promise fades when his foot injuries linger. He endures multiple operations and is told he’ll never play again – and in fact, is at risk of losing his foot entirely. Concerned about his future, he enrolls at Stanford Law School. His foot begins to heal and he convinces the Clippers to accommodate him in an unorthodox (and ultimately unsuccessful) arrangement: he attends law school during the week and plays for the team on the weekend. As he grows disgruntled over the leadership of Clippers owner Donald Sterling, Walton is thrown a basketball lifeline – by Red Auerbach of the Boston Celtics. Walton forfeits a huge amount of money to leave the Clippers and goes to Boston, where he joins one of the best franchises in sports. He seeks out starting center Robert Parrish and convinces him that he’s there to serve as a backup; his only goal is to help the team win. The Celtics embrace him, the team wins – and wins, and wins – and he introduces his teammates to the Grateful Dead. With Walton’s competitiveness and unselfish play sparking the team, Boston hits another level. An incredible redemption season culminates in Walton winning the Sixth Man of the Year Award – and for the Celtics, a return trip to the NBA Finals. Walton comes up big against the Rockets’ twin towers tandem of Ralph Sampson and Hakeem (then Akeem) Olajuwon, and Walton returns to the mountaintop as an NBA champion. But an attempted repeat is not in the cards, as Walton’s injuries mount. He spends the next four years in and out of surgery, in pain and struggling to walk. He finds fulfillment in overcoming his stutter and becoming a basketball broadcaster, his unfiltered and often outrageous personality making him both loved and hated by viewers. Debilitating pain spreads to his spine, and Walton faces a dark spiral: he can barely move, he’s unable to work, and faces the prospect of losing his home. Broke and broken, he struggles with suicidal thoughts – only fighting through it with the support of his wife Lori and his family. With treatments proving effective in managing his pain, he returns to broadcasting, his spirit stronger than ever. With the love of his family and love of the game undiminished, he considers himself the luckiest guy in the world.