Charles Barkley Gives Heartfelt Tribute To Celtics Great Bill Walton

The world continues to mourn the death of Bill Walton, and the “Inside the NBA” team offered their heartfelt words Tuesday about the Boston Celtics legend’s impact.

Walton on Monday died at 71 after a long fight with colon cancer. His former Celtics teammates Larry Bird and Rick Carlisle recalled cherished memories with the NBA icon and sent their condolences to Walton’s family.

A moment of silence was held before Game 4 of the Western Conference finals Tuesday to honor Walton. And the pregame show of the TNT broadcast also took time to honor the two-time NBA champion.

“When I got that news, it hurt,” Charles Barkley said on the TNT broadcast. “You talk about great at basketball, great at life, great as a broadcaster but just a good person. I’ve never seen a person who was more joyful to be around, who was always in a good mood. I explain it like this, Ernie (Johnson): The world is not as good of a place as it was yesterday. The world was better for having Bill Walton in it and it’s not as good of a place as it was. We lost a legitimate person. Our basketball hearts are heavy, but the world is not as good of a place as it was yesterday because we lost Bill Walton.”

Shaquille O’Neal paid his respect to one of the “Four Fathers of The Big Man Alliance” — the others were Wilt Chamberlin, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Russell. And fellow UCLA alumnus Reggie Miller also shared kind words and his memories of Walton.

The Celtics issued a statement after the news of Walton’s death, and it would not be a surprise if there was a tribute at TD Garden before Game 1 of the NBA Finals.