Bill Walton is a legend when it comes to the world of basketball. Overall, he is someone who is an NBA champion. Moreover, he was a legend during his college years. These days, he is one of the voices of college basketball as he does color commentary for ESPN. Whenever you watch a high-profile NCAA Basketball game on ESPN, you can pretty well expect to hear Bill Walton’s voice. Whether you love him or hate him, there is no doubt that he has a larger-than-life personality out there.
Unfortunately, when you talk on television for so long, eventually you can wind up saying something that you regret. We live in an age where everything you say is clipped and put on social media. Moreover, there are more opportunities to offend people, whether purposely or accidentally. Bill Walton certainly found that out as he said “He does not need a little chair because he is a giant in a world full of shriveling m*****s.” on the broadcast. In the clip below, you can see him use the slur for little people twice.
Bill Walton Called Out
Consequently, Walton drew the attention of Little People of America. According to TMZ, they were appalled by his actions, and are immediately calling for him to apologize. “Those who use the term m***** or any terminology that further stigmatizes people born with dwarfism are asked to educate themselves to eradicate this word,” they said in a statement. “Little People of America is asking Bill Walton to issue an apology and vow to use appropriate terminology rooted in respect and dignity going forward.” As it stands, Walton has not commented on the matter.
This is one of those controversies that ESPN probably does not want on its hands. It feels like every single week, ESPN is dealing with something one of its broadcasters said. This can be difficult to manage, and the network is finding that out the hard way. Overall, it will be interesting to see how they handle this. Let us know what you think, in the comments below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news from the sports world.
[Via]