Larry Bird Calls Bill Walton '1 of the Greatest Ever to Play the Game' in Statement

NBA Hall of Famer and Boston Celtics' legend Larry Bird released a statement following the death of his former teammate Bill Walton on Monday, calling him his "childhood idol" and "one of the greatest ever to play the game."

The two were teammates for parts of two seasons in the 1985-86 and 1986-87 seasons, winning a title in their first year together. Bird was the NBA's MVP that season, while Walton took home Sixth Man of the Year honors.

"Playing basketball with Larry Bird is like singing with Jerry Garcia," Walton once said, referencing the Grateful Dead's late leading man.

Bird was one of many NBA legends to pay tribute to Walton:

Walton died on Monday at the age of 71 after a battle with cancer. He was most famous for his career in basketball but wore many hats in his life, notably as a broadcaster, activist and fan of the Grateful Dead.

On the court, he won two national titles during his time at UCLA under the legendary head coach John Wooden. And his NBA season began in impressive fashion, as he was a two-time All-Star in his first four seasons, led the Portland Trail Blazers to their only NBA title in the 1976-77 campaign, winning Finals MVP in the process, and was the regular-season MVP the following year.

"Bill Walton was a true legend—an extraordinary player, talented broadcaster, and vital part of the Blazers organization," the Blazers said in a statement. "... Bill was so much more than basketball. He was larger than life. His upbeat and vibrant personality will forever be remembered and cherished, and he will be deeply missed by our organization, Rip City and all who experienced him."

Injuries ultimately kept him from becoming one of the truly great centers in league history, costing him three full seasons between 1978-82. He still would go on to be a Hall of Famer, however, and had a fantastic second act in his brief time with the Celtics.