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Nevertheless, the N.B.A. and the A.B.A. are hoping to find a way to land him. Walton is simply too important a catch. There are taller college centers (Tom Burleson, 7 ft. 4 in., of North Carolina State) and stronger ones (Notre Dame's John Shumate). But none can dominate a game the way that Walton does. "It's not how tall you are that matters," he says. "It's how tall you play."
Walton plays very tall. He always hustles, always pushes and plots his way to the most strategic territory under the basket. His blue eyes never stop scanning the court as he watches for plays to develop. He is constantly yammering to teammates: "Watch the screen!
Screen coming left!" On defense, he blocks shots and picks off rebounds by launching himself upward like a dolphin leaping from the sea. After grabbing the ball, he seems able to hang in mid-air until he turns and fires a long pass downcourt to lead the fast break.
"My Fault." Double-or triple-teamed, Walton can still torment opponents with soft hooks and reliable jump shots. When the ball is dropping for him, Walton simply cannot be stopped. In last year's N.C.A.A. championship game against Memphis State, he led the Bruins to victory by hitting on a remarkable 21 of 22 field-goal attempts. This year he is averaging 20 points per game.
In almost every situation, Walton plays the key role in Coach Wooden's orthodox script (see box page 75).
"There have been many great players in the game," says Wooden, "but not many great team players. Walton is a very great team player." At least half a dozen times every game, Walton passes to a teammate instead of taking an easy shot. Whether snarling at an errant official, raising his fist in triumph after a crucial basket or yelling "My fault!" to teammates when he errs, he is a constant rallying force for U.C.L.A.
In practice sessions, Co-Captain Walton often criticizes teammates for sloppy play. A moment later he grins at the abashed player and shouts: "Hey, we love ya!"
The crucial ingredient, he feels, is concentration. When Walton started practicing Transcendental Meditation last year, he found that it aided his mental alertness on court. At 3:30 on the afternoon of an 8:00 p.m. game, Walton meditates for half an hour. "I come on the court now totally refreshed, with a sharpened and concise thought pattern," he says. "I'm ready to play."
Walton has found a lot more than meditation to improve his game. He plays with an extraordinarily talented group of teammates—and for a coach who is probably the best in basketball.
Quality players are nothing new at U.C.L.A. In the past decade the Bruins have developed such top professionals as Laker Guard Gail Goodrich, Trail Blazer Forward Sidney Wicks, Knick Guard Henry Bibby, Buck Guard Lucius Allen and, of course, Walton's personal hero, Buck Center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.