He's 6-foot-11 with red hair, a big nose, freckles and a speech impediment. Who better to analyze Michael Jordan's first network television appearance in three years?

Bill Walton was one of college basketball's greatest players ever at UCLA. He's now one of TV's most loved/loathed commentators. From his Grateful Dead references to his trademark "that's terr-ible!," Walton's brutally honest style is quickly transforming him into the John Madden of the NBA.

With the departure of Doug Collins back to the coaching ranks, Walton was alongside Steve Jones and play-by-play voice Marv Albert on Saturday when NBC tipped off its NBA coverage with Michael Jordan's Wizards hosting Allen Iverson's 76ers. Walton labeled both his promotion to the No. 1 NBC team and his June induction into the Deadhead Hall of Fame as "the greatest accomplishment of my life."

Initially out of basketball you worked some Clippers games. Tell us about the ride from that basement to the top of your new profession? This has been 11 years since I had my right ankle fused and I knew I would never be able to play. I made the fateful decision to go into broadcasting, and here I am at the No. 1 job. For someone who has my speech impediment and the way I look - there are not a lot of 6-11 broadcasters with a big nose who stutter. As a player I lived for the championship. And now as a broadcaster to be able to do the championship games, it's just incredible.