Basketball Hall of Famer Chet “The Jet” Walker, a durable, quick forward who played for the Syracuse Nationals, Philadelphia 76ers and Chicago Bulls from 1963 to 1975, has died at the age of 84.
The National Basketball Players Association confirmed the death of Walker, who played for the 76ers squad that won the NBA championship in 1967, on Saturday, according to NBA.com.
Walker, who averaged 20.6 points while missing just 18 games and making four All-Star teams while playing for the Bulls from 1969 to 1975, is a member of the Bulls Ring of Honor, the Chicago Tribune reported.
Chet Walker spent the first 7 seasons of his Hall of Fame career with our franchise & delivered a championship in ‘67. Affectionately nicknamed “The Jet,” Walker made a profound impact in our city & within our League.
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) June 9, 2024
Our condolences go out to the Walker family & their friends. pic.twitter.com/jbc9ZHQyYt
Walker was drafted by the Nationals in the 1962 NBA draft and followed the franchise when it relocated to Philadelphia in 1963 to become the 76ers, ESPN reported.
The 1966-67 76ers won a then-record 68 games and snapped the eight-year title domination of the Boston Celtics. Walker averaged 19.3 points and 8.1 rebounds per game that season, according to Basketball-Reference.com.
Philadelphia traded Walker to the Bulls in 1969, Walker teamed with Norm Van Lier, Bob Love, Jerry Sloan and Tom Boerwinkle as Chicago won more than 50 games in four consecutive seasons, the Tribune reported. The Bulls advanced to two consecutive Western Conference finals under coach Dick Motta.
“That basically laid the foundation for basketball in Chicago,” Walker said during his speech when he was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012, according to the newspaper.
In his 13-year career, Walker averaged 18.2 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, according to Basketball-Reference.com. He was a seven-time all-star.
We are deeply saddened by the passing of Chet Walker, a legendary figure in our team's history.
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) June 9, 2024
An inductee of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, Chet left an indelible mark on the court and in the hearts of fans. During his six seasons with the Bulls from 1969 to 1975, the… pic.twitter.com/NKK2x7N6cu
Walker was born on Feb. 22, 1940, in Bethlehem, Mississippi, according to Basketball-Reference.com. He was youngest of 10 children and was raised by a strong, single mother who moved the family to Benton Harbor, Michigan, according to the Tribune. Walker overcame poverty to earn a scholarship to Bradley University in Peoria, where he earned two All-American nods and won NIT titles in 1957 and 1960.
He was enshrined in the Bulls’ first Ring of Honor class in January, according to Bleacher Report.
He joined Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Phil Jackson, Artis Gilmore, Johnny Kerr, Dick Klein, Jerry Krause, Toni Kukoc, Tex Winter, Love and Sloan, ESPN reported.
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