Chet Walker, one of the NBA’s most understated stars and a vital member of the 1966-67 champion Philadelphia 76ers, died on Saturday, June 8 2024 in Long Beach, California. He was 84.
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The National Basketball Association confirmed his death, attributing it to a long illness.
Nicknamed “The Jet,” Walker had career averages of 18.2 points and 7.1 rebounds over his 13 NBA seasons.
His teams made the playoffs every year he was in the league. Walker was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012 and was part of Chicago’s inaugural class for its Ring of Honor in January 2024.
The Chicago Bulls praised his lasting impact on basketball and the city of Chicago, calling him a “true Chicago Bulls icon.”
Walker, a native of Mississippi, attended high school in Benton Harbor, Michigan, before playing college basketball at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois.
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He was a two-time All-American with the Braves, helping them win the 1960 NIT championship. His No. 31 jersey was retired by Bradley in 1976.
The 6-foot-7 Walker was selected by Syracuse in the second round of the 1962 NBA draft. He averaged 12.3 points in his first season before the Nationals moved to Philadelphia and became the 76ers.
In his fifth season, Walker averaged 19.3 points and 8.1 rebounds in 81 games, helping lead the 76ers to a 68-13 regular-season record and an NBA title in 1967 alongside Wilt Chamberlain, Hal Greer, and Billy Cunningham.
Walker was traded to Chicago in September 1969, where he made the All-Star team four more times, averaging 20.6 points in his six seasons with the Bulls.
Despite forming a strong scoring duo with Bob Love, they never reached the NBA Finals together.
Walker averaged 22 points per game during the 1971-72 season when the Bulls went 57-25, but they were swept by the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals.
In addition to his basketball career, Walker became an Emmy Award-winning movie producer.
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