Coaches Launch Bill Walton Scholarship With $32,000 Gift
Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd and three other college basketball coaches donated $32,000 to launch a scholarship honoring Bill Walton at a Las Vegas event on November 2.
Tommy Lloyd of Arizona joined coaches from UCLA, Gonzaga and Purdue in starting the Bill Walton Foundation’s Shine On Scholarship with a combined $32,000 donation at the Hall of Fame Series in Las Vegas on November 2. Each coach contributed $8,000, a sum tied to Walton’s jersey number, 32.
The scholarship is intended for young people who have experienced homelessness and are pursuing college. It will support students in San Diego, Los Angeles, Portland and Boston, cities where Walton played. The program is being developed with the Lucky Duck Foundation, which Walton helped launch in 2005 and remained involved with until his death in 2024 after a long battle with cancer.
Two of Walton’s friends, Pat Kilkenny and Adam Cheyer, have each offered to contribute $32,000 if fans together donate that amount. Reaching the challenge would bring the scholarship’s launch funding to $128,000. Fans are being encouraged to give $32, with each such donation generating $128 for students.
Lloyd said he hoped supporters would help meet the challenge, describing Walton as an important figure both in basketball and in community work. Walton’s wife, Lori, who leads the foundation, said the scholarship reflected his commitment to young people and would help recipients pursue their ambitions. The four coaches received recognition at each of the Hall of Fame Series matchups.