Bill Walker (basketball)
Encyclopedia
William "Bill" Henry Walker (born October 9, 1987 in Huntington
, West Virginia
) is an American
professional basketball
player with the New York Knicks
of the National Basketball Association
. The , 220 lb (99.8 kg; 15.7 st) small forward
was selected out of Kansas State University
by the Washington Wizards
with the 47th overall pick in the second round of the 2008 NBA Draft
, but was traded shortly thereafter to the Boston Celtics
in exchange for cash considerations. He was acquired by the Knicks in a deal sending Nate Robinson
and Marcus Landry
to the Celtics for Walker, Eddie House
and J. R. Giddens
.
in North College Hill
, Ohio
, where he was a consensus Top 10 high school recruit and a teammate of future NBA lottery pick O. J. Mayo
. His achievements include:
As a sophomore and junior in 2005 and 2006, Walker helped North College Hill to back-to-back Ohio Division III state titles and was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2006 State Tournament. In 2006, North College Hill finished third in the USA Today Super 25 High School rankings, with Walker averaging 21.7 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. He was selected the USA Today National Player of the Week on March 27, 2006. In the fall of 2006, Walker graduated early after it was ruled that he had used all of his high school athletics eligibility the previous year.
Walker also helped the USA White team to a 5–0 record at the 2005 USA Youth Development Festival in San Diego
, California
, where he played alongside Ohio State
freshman Greg Oden
and Kansas freshman Darrell Arthur
. He was the only three-time Most Valuable Player
at the Reebok
ABCD Camp in Teaneck
, New Jersey
.
teams, including Cincinnati
, Connecticut
, Illinois
, Syracuse
, Southern California and Texas
, Walker enrolled at Kansas State University
as a part-time student in order to be eligible to play on December 16, 2006, the start of the second semester. He had an immediate impact on the team, averaging 11.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game in his first six games. However, he ruptured
the anterior cruciate ligament
(ACL) in his left knee early in a game against Texas A&M
on January 6, 2007, which required surgery and abruptly ended his freshman season. This was the second time he suffered this type of injury, going through surgery and rehab in his right knee in 2003.
In the 2007–08
season, Walker averaged 16.1 points and 6.3 rebounds in 31 games. He tied his career-high with 31 points in a 92–86 loss at Baylor on February 23, 2008, and combined with teammate Michael Beasley
to score 75 of the Wildcats
' 86 points in that game. On April 14, 2008, Walker announced along with Beasley that he would enter the 2008 NBA Draft and thus forgo his last three years of eligibility.
facility on June 15, 2008. He remained in the draft despite the injury, and was selected on June 26, 2008 by the Washington Wizards
with the 47th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, but was subsequently traded to the Boston Celtics
for cash considerations after visiting the Celtics three days earlier. He was expected to have minor surgery in July that would keep him out for three to four weeks.
In November 2008, Walker was sent to the Celtics' NBA Development League
affiliate, the Utah Flash
, and was recalled on January 8, 2009. On November 21, 2009, the Celtics assigned Walker to the Maine Red Claws in the NBA Development League
. On December 23, 2009, Walker was recalled from the Red Claws by the Celtics.
On February 18, 2010, Bill Walker along with J. R. Giddens
, Eddie House
and a future conditional second round draft pick were traded to the Knicks for Nate Robinson
and Marcus Landry
.
| align="left" | 2008-09
| align="left" | Boston
| 29 || 0 || 7.4 || .621 || .000 || .696 || 1.0 || .4 || .2 || .1 || 3.0
|-
| align="left" | 2009-10
| align="left" | Boston
| 8 || 0 || 3.6 || .500 || .000 || 1.000 || .6 || .4 || .0 || .0 || 1.0
|-
| align="left" | 2009-10
| align="left" | New York
| 27 || 13 || 27.4 || .518 || .431 || .787 || 3.1 || 1.4 || .8 || .1 || 11.9
|-
| align="left" | 2010-11
| align="left" | New York
| 61 || 1 || 12.9 || .441 || 386 || .705 || 2.0 || .6 || .3 || .1 || 4.9
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 124 || 14 || 14.1 || .494 || .404 || .741 || 1.9 || .7 || .4 || .1 || 5.7
| align="left" | 2008-09
| align="left" | Boston
| 4 || 0 || 2.5 || .000 || .000 || 1.000 || .0 || .0 || .5 || .0 || .5
|-
| align="left" | 2010-11
| align="left" | New York
| 4 || 0 || 22.3 || .300 || .273 || .667 || 3.3 || 1.0 || 1.2 || .0 || 5.8
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 8 || 0 || 12.4 || .281 || .273 || .800 || 1.6 || .5 || .9 || .0 || 3.1
Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player with the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
of the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. The , 220 lb (99.8 kg; 15.7 st) small forward
Small forward
The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall...
was selected out of Kansas State University
Kansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
by the Washington Wizards
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
with the 47th overall pick in the second round of the 2008 NBA Draft
2008 NBA Draft
The 2008 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2008 at the Washington Mutual Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, including...
, but was traded shortly thereafter to the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
in exchange for cash considerations. He was acquired by the Knicks in a deal sending Nate Robinson
Nate Robinson
Nathaniel Cornelius Robinson is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder...
and Marcus Landry
Marcus Landry
Marcus Landry is an American professional basketball player for Assignia Manresa. Landry attended Vincent High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin...
to the Celtics for Walker, Eddie House
Eddie House
Edward L. House II , commonly referred to as Eddie House, is an American professional basketball player in the NBA for the Miami Heat.-Early life:...
and J. R. Giddens
J. R. Giddens
Justin Ray Giddens is an American professional basketball player for PAOK Thessaloniki B.C.. The shooting guard was selected out of the University of New Mexico by the Boston Celtics with the 30th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft...
.
High school
Walker was a three-year starter at North College Hill High SchoolNorth College Hill High School
North College Hill High School is a Public High school in North College Hill, Ohio. It is the only high school in the North College Hill City Schools district and has an enrollment of approximately 400 to 450 students.-Athletics:...
in North College Hill
North College Hill, Ohio
North College Hill is a city in Hamilton County in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio approximately ten miles north of downtown Cincinnati. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 9,397...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, where he was a consensus Top 10 high school recruit and a teammate of future NBA lottery pick O. J. Mayo
O. J. Mayo
Ovinton J'Anthony "O. J." Mayo , is an American basketball player currently playing with the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA. He signed with the team on July 8, 2008. He played college basketball for the University of Southern California...
. His achievements include:
- 2006 PARADEParade (magazine)Parade is an American nationwide Sunday newspaper magazine, distributed in more than 500 newspapers in the United States. It was founded in 1941 and is owned by Advance Publications. The most widely read magazine in the U.S., Parade has a circulation of 32.2 million and a readership of nearly 70...
All-AmericaAll-AmericaAn All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
Boys Basketball Second Team - 2006 USA TodayUSA TodayUSA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
All-USA High School Boys Basketball All-Junior Team - 2006 EA SportsEA SportsEA Sports is a brand of Electronic Arts that creates and develops sports video games. Formerly a marketing gimmick of Electronic Arts, in which they tried to mimic real-life sports networks by calling themselves "EA Sports Network" with pictures or endorsements of real commentators such as John...
High School Boys Basketball First Team - OhioOhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
High School Basketball Coaches Association All-State First Team - Cincinnati Enquirer All-State First Team
As a sophomore and junior in 2005 and 2006, Walker helped North College Hill to back-to-back Ohio Division III state titles and was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2006 State Tournament. In 2006, North College Hill finished third in the USA Today Super 25 High School rankings, with Walker averaging 21.7 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. He was selected the USA Today National Player of the Week on March 27, 2006. In the fall of 2006, Walker graduated early after it was ruled that he had used all of his high school athletics eligibility the previous year.
Walker also helped the USA White team to a 5–0 record at the 2005 USA Youth Development Festival in San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where he played alongside Ohio State
Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball
The Lucas Sapp men's basketball team represents The Ohio State University in NCAA Division I college basketball competition. The Buckeyes are a member of the Big Ten Conference. The Buckeyes won their only National Championship in 1960 and have made a total of 21 NCAA Tournament appearances...
freshman Greg Oden
Greg Oden
Gregory Wayne Oden, Jr. is an American basketball player at the center position. Oden is a member of the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA....
and Kansas freshman Darrell Arthur
Darrell Arthur
Darrell Antwonne Arthur is 6'9", American professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA. He plays the power forward and small forward positions. Arthur played for the University of Kansas in college for two seasons, including the 2007–2008 national championship team...
. He was the only three-time Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
at the Reebok
Reebok
Reebok International Limited, a subsidiary of the German sportswear company Adidas since 2005, is a producer of Athletic shoes, apparel, and accessories. The name comes from the Afrikaans spelling of rhebok, a type of African antelope or gazelle...
ABCD Camp in Teaneck
Teaneck, New Jersey
Teaneck is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, and a suburb in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 39,776, making it the second-most populous among the 70 municipalities in Bergen County....
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
.
College
After receiving interest from many NCAANational Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
teams, including Cincinnati
Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball
The Cincinnati Bearcats basketball team is the NCAA Division I men's basketball program of the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio. They currently compete in the Big East Conference and are coached by Mick Cronin. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in...
, Connecticut
Connecticut Huskies men's basketball
The Connecticut Huskies is the name of the men's college basketball team representing the University of Connecticut, in Storrs, Connecticut, USA. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big East Conference...
, Illinois
Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball
The Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team is an NCAA Division I college basketball team competing in the Big Ten Conference. Home games are played at Assembly Hall, located on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's campus in Champaign....
, Syracuse
Syracuse Orange men's basketball
The Syracuse Orange men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball team representing Syracuse University. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big East Conference...
, Southern California and Texas
Texas Longhorns men's basketball
The Texas Longhorns men's basketball team represents The University of Texas at Austin in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The Longhorns currently compete in the Big 12 Conference....
, Walker enrolled at Kansas State University
Kansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
as a part-time student in order to be eligible to play on December 16, 2006, the start of the second semester. He had an immediate impact on the team, averaging 11.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game in his first six games. However, he ruptured
Anterior cruciate ligament injury
An injury to the anterior cruciate ligament can be a debilitating musculoskeletal injury to the knee, seen most often in athletes. Non-contact tears and ruptures are the most common causes of ACL injury....
the anterior cruciate ligament
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
(ACL) in his left knee early in a game against Texas A&M
Texas A&M Aggies men's basketball
The Texas A&M Aggies men's basketball team represents Texas A&M University in NCAA Division I college basketball. The Aggies play home games at Reed Arena, a 12,500-capacity arena in College Station, Texas on the campus of Texas A&M University....
on January 6, 2007, which required surgery and abruptly ended his freshman season. This was the second time he suffered this type of injury, going through surgery and rehab in his right knee in 2003.
In the 2007–08
2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2007–08 basketball season...
season, Walker averaged 16.1 points and 6.3 rebounds in 31 games. He tied his career-high with 31 points in a 92–86 loss at Baylor on February 23, 2008, and combined with teammate Michael Beasley
Michael Beasley
Michael Paul Beasley, Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association . He plays both forward positions, and shoots his jump shot left-handed, though he is also ambidextrous...
to score 75 of the Wildcats
Kansas State Wildcats men's basketball
The Kansas State Wildcats men's basketball team represents Kansas State University in college basketball competition. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and is a member of the Big 12 Conference. The current head coach is Frank Martin....
' 86 points in that game. On April 14, 2008, Walker announced along with Beasley that he would enter the 2008 NBA Draft and thus forgo his last three years of eligibility.
NBA
Many considered Walker a lottery pick, but he suffered the third knee injury in his career during a workout at the Golden State WarriorsGolden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
facility on June 15, 2008. He remained in the draft despite the injury, and was selected on June 26, 2008 by the Washington Wizards
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
with the 47th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, but was subsequently traded to the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
for cash considerations after visiting the Celtics three days earlier. He was expected to have minor surgery in July that would keep him out for three to four weeks.
In November 2008, Walker was sent to the Celtics' NBA Development League
NBA Development League
The NBA Development League, or NBA D-League, is the National Basketball Association's official minor league basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League , the NBA D-League started with eight teams in the fall of 2001...
affiliate, the Utah Flash
Utah Flash
The Utah Flash was a team of the NBA Development League that began playing in 2007 and folded in 2011. They played their home games at the UCCU Center on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah...
, and was recalled on January 8, 2009. On November 21, 2009, the Celtics assigned Walker to the Maine Red Claws in the NBA Development League
NBA Development League
The NBA Development League, or NBA D-League, is the National Basketball Association's official minor league basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League , the NBA D-League started with eight teams in the fall of 2001...
. On December 23, 2009, Walker was recalled from the Red Claws by the Celtics.
On February 18, 2010, Bill Walker along with J. R. Giddens
J. R. Giddens
Justin Ray Giddens is an American professional basketball player for PAOK Thessaloniki B.C.. The shooting guard was selected out of the University of New Mexico by the Boston Celtics with the 30th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft...
, Eddie House
Eddie House
Edward L. House II , commonly referred to as Eddie House, is an American professional basketball player in the NBA for the Miami Heat.-Early life:...
and a future conditional second round draft pick were traded to the Knicks for Nate Robinson
Nate Robinson
Nathaniel Cornelius Robinson is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder...
and Marcus Landry
Marcus Landry
Marcus Landry is an American professional basketball player for Assignia Manresa. Landry attended Vincent High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin...
.
Regular season
|-| align="left" | 2008-09
| align="left" | Boston
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
| 29 || 0 || 7.4 || .621 || .000 || .696 || 1.0 || .4 || .2 || .1 || 3.0
|-
| align="left" | 2009-10
| align="left" | Boston
| 8 || 0 || 3.6 || .500 || .000 || 1.000 || .6 || .4 || .0 || .0 || 1.0
|-
| align="left" | 2009-10
| align="left" | New York
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
| 27 || 13 || 27.4 || .518 || .431 || .787 || 3.1 || 1.4 || .8 || .1 || 11.9
|-
| align="left" | 2010-11
| align="left" | New York
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
| 61 || 1 || 12.9 || .441 || 386 || .705 || 2.0 || .6 || .3 || .1 || 4.9
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 124 || 14 || 14.1 || .494 || .404 || .741 || 1.9 || .7 || .4 || .1 || 5.7
Playoffs
|-| align="left" | 2008-09
2009 NBA Playoffs
The 2009 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2008–09 season. The playoffs started on April 18, 2009 with ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...
| align="left" | Boston
| 4 || 0 || 2.5 || .000 || .000 || 1.000 || .0 || .0 || .5 || .0 || .5
|-
| align="left" | 2010-11
2011 NBA Playoffs
The 2011 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2010–11 season. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualified for the playoffs, all seeded 1 to 8 in a tournament bracket, with all rounds in a best-of-seven format. The 2011 NBA Playoffs began on...
| align="left" | New York
| 4 || 0 || 22.3 || .300 || .273 || .667 || 3.3 || 1.0 || 1.2 || .0 || 5.8
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 8 || 0 || 12.4 || .281 || .273 || .800 || 1.6 || .5 || .9 || .0 || 3.1
External links
- Bill Walker Player Info @ DraftExpress.com
- Bill Walker – Kansas State Player Bio
- Bill Walker Draft 2008 Profile @ NBA.com
- Official Website