Who is Bill Walton's Wife? The Women that Helped Build The NBA Legend

Who is Bill Walton's Wife? The Women that Helped Buil...

By Kirsten Cunanan September 24, 2024 08:44

NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton passed away after a long battle with cancer on May 27, 2024. Best known for his career and legacy, Walton’s life was celebrated by many. This includes his wife Lori Matsuoka, his first wife Susie Walton and their children.

Susie Walton: Bill’s First Wife

The two first met in college. Susie originally thought that Bill was a geek, but she recognized his good heart, which eventually led to their dating. They got married in 1979 and separated ten years later. Despite their bitter divorce, Susie told the New York Times that he enjoyed being married to Bill.

The marriage started to crash down when Bill suffered an injury in 1986. Life without basketball was hard to accept, so he went to concerts where he picked up a 22-year-old girl.

Susie and Bill had four children during their marriage. Adam Walton was the eldest, followed by Nathan Walton, then Luke Walton, and their youngest, Chris Walton. All of their sons fell in love with basketball as well. During their college years, they represented their respective colleges. Luke Walton also played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers but retired in 2013.

Their children didn’t take the divorce very well and had anger for their father for years. Being very protective of their mother, the boys talked back to their dad whenever it seemed like the right thing to do.

Lori Matsuoka: Bill’s Second and Last Wife

Lori and Bill met at a house party. Their similar interests brought them closer, and they soon started dating. They decided to tie the knot in 1990, happily together since then.

Bill shared about the simple yet sweet messages on yellow Post-it notes scattered around their house. This gesture helped Bill recover from his spinal surgery because of the meaningful messages he reads every single time.

”During my recovery, there were endlessly long stretches when I didn’t feel like I was making any progress at all. But my wife, Lori, knew otherwise.”

“That’s when I started finding the little Post-it notes in unexpected places around our house that she had left for me. Little yellow notes with simple – but incredibly powerful – messages written on them.”

According to the New York Times article, the notes validated the small things Bill had accomplished that day. Whether it’s sitting up at the edge of the bed or putting socks on, Lori had a Post-it for it.

Outside of the marriage, Lori Matsuoka was a philanthropist. She recognizes her cultural heritage and aims to uplift the community. Lori also targets social issues as well provide inspiration through her writing.

Bill Walton remained supportive of his children despite his second marriage. Lori also embraced the role of being a stepmother when she married Bill.

ESPN reported the news of Bill’s death in May 2024. He was 71 at the time of his death, taken away after a long and painful battle with cancer.