When the Philadelphia Warriors moved west to San Francisco following the 1961-62 season, it was the voice of Bill King that introduced professional basketball to fans in the Bay Area and Northern California. For the next 21 seasons, King described the action from courtside during the Wilt Chamberlain era and saw the transition to the Nate Thurmond and Rick Barry eras and beyond. His play-by-play descriptions of the Warriors improbable run to the 1974-75 NBA championship remain etched in the minds of Bay Area basketball fans.
Warriors' President Robert Rowell Statement
"This is an extremely sad day for the Warriors and the entire Bay Area community. Bill King was an icon in this market and established himself as one of the greatest broadcasters in the history of sports, not just the NBA. Those of us who had the pleasure to enjoy his distinctive work - ranging from the Warriors' 1975 championship team to one of the A's or Raiders title-winning squads - will be forever spoiled. He was talented, versatile, enthusiastic and, most importantly, a class act and a great man. He will be sorely missed by everyone he touched, including those who never had the opportunity to meet him, but still benefited from his presence in their homes. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire King family."
Bill King audio clip: