Ashley Walker (basketball)
Encyclopedia
Ashley Walker is an American professional basketball player. She plays the forward position for the Maccabi Bnot Ashdod
in the Ligat Ha'al.
. Walker is the daughter of Tiran and Jackie Walker. She has an older brother, Tiran Jr., who plays basketball in England. Her relative James Hardy
played basketball for the Utah Jazz
of the NBA. She was an American Studies major at the University of California
.
in Modesto, California
. She was named to the Cal-Hi Sports all-state team and league MVP as a senior after averaging 21 points, 20 rebounds, five assists and six blocks per game at Grace Davis. Walker also competed on the varsity volleyball team for four years and the track and field team for one year. She claimed the 2004 conference high jump title and was picked to the all-conference volleyball team three times.
. She played four seasons with the Bears of Cal. She played the forward position and the center
position. Walker was the only player in Cal history to score at least 1,000 points
, 800 rebounds
, 200 assists
, and 100 blocks
. She recorded 47 career double-doubles. She is ranked first in Cal history for rebounds, free-throws made, and free-throws attempted.
As a freshman she was one of three Cal players picked to the Pac-10 All-Freshman squad, marking the first time a conference team had more than two selections. As a sophomore Walker was selected to the All-Pac-10 team along with Devanei Hampton, marking only the second time in school history that the Bears placed two players on the All-Pac-10 squad. When she became a junior she became one of only four Cal players to garner first-team All-Pac-10 honors at least twice. She was named to the Pac-10 All-Defensive team and Sports Illustrated
second-team All-American. As a junior she became the 17th Cal player to reach the 1,000-point milestone. As a senior at Cal she was the 2008–09 Pac-10 scoring leader averaging 19.8 points per game. She was named to the First team All-Pac-10 and First team Pac-10 All-Defensive team.
. She was selected 12th overall in the 2009 WNBA Draft
by the Seattle Storm
. She joins WNBA veterans Sue Bird
, Swin Cash
, and Lauren Jackson
. She was drafted to play the forward position. Walker will come off of the bench. Seattle waived Ashley during the start of the 2010 season. She would then sign with the Tulsa Shock, but was later waived by them as well. In February 2011 she was signed to a training camp contract with the San Antonio Silver Stars for the upcoming season.
Maccabi Bnot Ashdod
Maccabi Bnot Ashdod is a professional Women's basketball team based in Ashdod, playing in the Ligat Ha'al in Israel since 2003. It is the Women's basketball division of the Maccabi Ashdod sports club....
in the Ligat Ha'al.
Personal life
She was born Ashley Jeneen Walker on February 24, 1987 in Stockton, CaliforniaStockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
. Walker is the daughter of Tiran and Jackie Walker. She has an older brother, Tiran Jr., who plays basketball in England. Her relative James Hardy
James Hardy (basketball)
James Percivell Hardy is a retired American professional basketball player. Hardy played the forward position in the NBA from 1978 to 1982. He played collegiately at the University of San Francisco...
played basketball for the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
of the NBA. She was an American Studies major at the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
.
High School career
Ashley attended Grace M. Davis High SchoolGrace M. Davis High School
Grace M. Davis High School is a public high school located in Modesto, California. Established in 1959, the school serves students in grades 9-12...
in Modesto, California
Modesto, California
Modesto is a city in, and is the county seat of, Stanislaus County, California. With a population of approximately 201,165 at the 2010 census, Modesto ranks as the 18th largest city in the state of California....
. She was named to the Cal-Hi Sports all-state team and league MVP as a senior after averaging 21 points, 20 rebounds, five assists and six blocks per game at Grace Davis. Walker also competed on the varsity volleyball team for four years and the track and field team for one year. She claimed the 2004 conference high jump title and was picked to the all-conference volleyball team three times.
College career
Walker attended the University of CaliforniaUniversity of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
. She played four seasons with the Bears of Cal. She played the forward position and the center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
position. Walker was the only player in Cal history to score at least 1,000 points
Point (basketball)
Points in basketball are used to keep track of the score in a game. Points can be accumulated by making field goals or free throws ....
, 800 rebounds
Rebound (basketball)
A rebound in basketball is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or free throw. Rebounds in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made...
, 200 assists
Assist (basketball)
In basketball, an assist is attributed to a player who passes the ball to a teammate in a way that leads to a score by field goal, meaning that he or she was "assisting" in the basket. There is some judgment involved in deciding whether a passer should be credited with an assist...
, and 100 blocks
Block (basketball)
In basketball, a block , not to be confused with blocking, occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a field goal attempt from an offensive player. The defender must not touch the offensive player's hands or otherwise a foul is called. In order to be legal, the block must occur while the shot...
. She recorded 47 career double-doubles. She is ranked first in Cal history for rebounds, free-throws made, and free-throws attempted.
As a freshman she was one of three Cal players picked to the Pac-10 All-Freshman squad, marking the first time a conference team had more than two selections. As a sophomore Walker was selected to the All-Pac-10 team along with Devanei Hampton, marking only the second time in school history that the Bears placed two players on the All-Pac-10 squad. When she became a junior she became one of only four Cal players to garner first-team All-Pac-10 honors at least twice. She was named to the Pac-10 All-Defensive team and Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
second-team All-American. As a junior she became the 17th Cal player to reach the 1,000-point milestone. As a senior at Cal she was the 2008–09 Pac-10 scoring leader averaging 19.8 points per game. She was named to the First team All-Pac-10 and First team Pac-10 All-Defensive team.
WNBA career
Walker declared for the WNBA draft after 4 seasons at the University of CaliforniaUniversity of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
. She was selected 12th overall in the 2009 WNBA Draft
2009 WNBA Draft
The 2009 WNBA Draft is the league's annual process for determining which teams receive the rights to negotiate with players entering the league. The draft was held on April 9, 2009. The first round was shown on ESPN2 at 3:00pm ET, while the second and third rounds were shown on ESPNU and NBA TV at...
by the Seattle Storm
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
. She joins WNBA veterans Sue Bird
Sue Bird
Suzanne Brigit "Sue" Bird is an American professional women's basketball player for the Seattle Storm and WBC Spartak Moscow Region....
, Swin Cash
Swin Cash
Swintayla Marie Cash , better known as Swin Cash, is an American WNBA player who plays for the Seattle Storm. A prolific scorer and rebounder, as well as a capable ball handler and defender, she helped lead the University of Connecticut women's basketball team to national titles in 2000 and 2002...
, and Lauren Jackson
Lauren Jackson
Lauren Elizabeth Jackson is an Australian professional basketball player. Jackson began her professional career at the Australian Institute of Sport in the WNBL before moving on to the Canberra Capitals. She is currently a forward/centre with the Seattle Storm of the WNBA and the Australian...
. She was drafted to play the forward position. Walker will come off of the bench. Seattle waived Ashley during the start of the 2010 season. She would then sign with the Tulsa Shock, but was later waived by them as well. In February 2011 she was signed to a training camp contract with the San Antonio Silver Stars for the upcoming season.