UCLA Bruin legend Bill Walton gets statue at San Diego Park

A life-size bronze sculpture of renowned San Diego sportsman Bill Walton commemorating his lifelong love of cycling was unveiled Saturday, May 14 at Ski Beach Park in Mission Bay. Right after the statue was unveiled, Walton led a 30-mile bike race through Mission Bay to benefit military veterans suffering from PTSD.

The Grateful Dead, they’re my best friends. Their message of hope, peace, love, teamwork, creativity, imagination, celebration, the dance, the vision, the purpose, the passion, all the things I believe in make me the luckiest Deadhead in the world.

- Bill Walton

Bill Walton UCLA Basketball

The bronze sculptor who created the monument, Alison Brown, took precise measurements of his shoes, Walton’s bike, and other personal things. Each item was carefully reproduced in the finished work, a life-size, exceptionally detailed replica of the UCLA Bruins & San Diego Clippers legend.

‘In clay, every fingerprint, every detail created in the sculpture is transferred into bronze. When the sculpture is ultimately cast, the finished monument reflects every tiny detail in bronze,’ said Brown.

I’ve had 36 orthopedic operations, have two fused ankles, my knees, hands and wrists don’t work, I now have a fused spine, other than that, everything is great.

- Bill Walton

Walton led the UCLA Bruins to national championships in the early 1970s before playing for San Diego Clippers, the Portland Trail Blazers, and Boston Celtics and joining the NBA. Walton won two NBA championships and was named the NBA valuable player. He was named as one of the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players ever and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1993.

I’ve always felt that the Dead’s music was written for me, to me and about me. Thanks to their music, I’m a different person than I was yesterday. I can walk again, I’m pain-free, and I don’t have to take any medication.

- Bill Walton

About the Author: Jim Stroesser, “The Brand Master”

With nearly four decades of experience, Jim Stroesser is a driving force in the world of global consumer branding across the sports, fashion, and entertainment industries. His journey from tech rep to CEO of iconic brands showcases his unparalleled ability to transform and elevate businesses.

As Co-Founder and CEO of CALI Strong, a direct-to-consumer sports brand based in San Diego, CA, Jim leads the charge in creating premium sports apparel, footwear, and equipment that embody the California lifestyle.

His legacy as an industry turnaround expert was cemented at Converse, where he spearheaded the brand's resurgence from bankruptcy, elevating its sales from $120 million to $285 million and finally a $305 million acquisition by Nike – a landmark deal that reshaped the industry.

Jim's expertise extends to leadership roles at Nike, Quiksilver, Oakley, LA Gear, Roxy, RL, Pony, Bob Marley and Adio. He currently serves on several boards, including SDSI, where he mentors emerging companies alongside Chairman Bill Walton.