Bill Walton to be guest speaker at RJ’s Best of Preps Awards Banquet

By BILL BRADLEY LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

9 years ago

Retired basketball player and current Pac 12 Networks analyst Bill Walton interviews a player prior to a game between the Arizona Wildcats and the Colorado Buffaloes at the Coors Events Center. (Ron Chenoy-USA Today Sports)

Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr., right, greets Bill Walton with a high-five as Luke Robitaille, president, business operations for the Los Angeles Kings looks on as Mayweather arrives a ceremonial ground breaking event for new MGM Resorts International and AEG joint venture indoor arena on Thursday, May 1, 2014. (David Becker/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

From left, Steve Sisolak, Clark County commisioner; Jim Murren, Chairmen CEO MGM Resorts International; boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr.; Dan Beckerman, president and CEO of AEG and Bill Walton, sportscaster and former NBA player participate in a ceremonial ground breaking event for new MGM Resorts International and AEG joint venture indoor arena Thursday, May 1, 2014. (David Becker/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Bill Walton, second from right, sportscaster and former NBA player speaks as Dana White, left, president of UFC; Richard Shafer, CEO Golden Boy Boxing; and Luke Robitaille, president of business operations for the Los Angels Kings look on during a ceremonial ground breaking event for new MGM Resorts International and AEG joint venture indoor arena on Thursday, May 1, 2014. (David Becker/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Basketball Hall of Fame member Bill Walton will be the celebrity guest speaker at the Review-Journal’s first Best of Nevada Preps Award Banquet on June 4.

The banquet will be in the Summerlin Ballroom at the Red Rock Resort.

Top athletes and coaches from more than 100 schools throughout Nevada and across 24 sports will attend a dinner and award ceremony. More than 30 awards will be presented, including Top Male Athlete, Top Female Athlete and Coach of the Year.

The event will culminate a year of unprecedented high school sports coverage by the Review-Journal. Besides daily coverage in the print edition and one of the deepest high school sports websites in the country, the Review-Journal debuted All-State teams for every NIAA varsity sport.

Walton, recognized for his polarizing personality as a TV basketball analyst, will be talking about his life on and off the court. He is mainly known for his playing career with UCLA, the Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Clippers and Boston Celtics. He was a two-time NCAA and NBA champion, and was selected as one of the 50 greatest NBA players ever in 1996.

Walton is an Emmy Award-winning sportscaster who this season has worked for ESPN and the Pac-12 Network, focusing on college basketball games.

Tickets for the event are on sale at NevadaPreps.com.