Dead & Company honor Bill Walton during Las Vegas Sphere Show

Rich Fury/Sphere Entertainment

In addition to his illustrious career as an NBA legend and sportscaster, Bill Walton was a huge Deadhead. The 6-foot-1 center died on Monday (May 27) at the age of 71 after a battle with cancer, and surviving members of the Grateful Dead paid tribute to their biggest fan during Dead & Company’s residency show at the Sphere in Las Vegas on Thursday (May 30).

During their performance of 1978’s “Fire on the Mountain,” the Sphere’s screen showed a photo montage of Walton hanging out with the band, wearing the merchandise and more. The tribute also featured a stunning display of Walton’s jersey number, 32, adorned with tie-dye and roses.

Check out the photos via Dead & Company’s Instagram here.

Earlier this week, following news of Walton’s death, the band paid tribute to the late athlete in an Instagram post on the Dead & Company feed, saying, “Farewell, farewell, we love you more than words can express. Bill was an irreplaceable force and soul in our family. Father Time, Rhythm Devil, the greatest Deadhead of all time. Over 1000 shows and couldn’t get enough. He loved this band and we loved him.”

The post continued, “We will greatly miss our beloved friend @BillWalton. Rest in peace and may the four winds carry you home safe. 🌹💀⚡️.” The post included several images of Walton in tie-dye outfits at Dead shows over the years, including times when he wore elaborate, colorful costumes – most notable being a “Father Time” outfit for Dead shows on New Year’s Eve.