Chet Walker, a basketball star who played for teams like the Philadelphia 76ers and the Chicago Bulls, has passed away at the age of 84. He was a seven-time All-Star and helped the 76ers win the NBA title in 1967 with players like Wilt Chamberlain.
The National Basketball Players Association confirmed Walker’s death. The 76ers, Bulls, and National Basketball Retired Players Association also expressed their condolences on social media.
Walker was honored by the Bulls as part of their Ring of Honor in 2022. He was known as “The Jet” and had impressive career averages of 18.2 points and 7.1 rebounds per game over 13 seasons. He made the playoffs every year he played.
Walker was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012. He grew up in Mississippi and attended high school in Benton Harbor, Michigan. He played college basketball at Bradley University, where he was a two-time All-American and won the 1960 NIT championship.
Walker was drafted by the Syracuse Nationals in 1962 and later played for the Philadelphia 76ers when they moved. He was traded to the Chicago Bulls in 1969, where he continued to excel, making four more All-Star appearances.
Despite his success, Walker never reached the NBA Finals with the Bulls, coming closest during the 1971-72 season when the team was swept in the Western Conference semifinals by the Los Angeles Lakers.