Walker commits to USC hoops

“I committed to Coach Floyd over the phone,” Walker said.  “I’d been down to the campus two or three times and really liked it.  I felt like USC was the right place for me to be.”

As a middle schooler, Walker was unfairly labeled the “next LeBron James.”  He had the size, speed and athleticism to do whatever he wanted on the court.  He was destined for the NBA at age 11 and profiled by Sports Illustrated at 14.  But when the hype didn’t meet the production during his first two years of high school, the criticism came fast and furious.  He was labeled a bust as a freshman and saw his name continue to slide down the national rankings as a sophomore.  

Of course, the talk of Walker being a bust was as exaggerated and hyperbolic as the idea that he was the next LeBron.  Not only did Walker continue to mature into a fine basketball player, he’s been able to turn the past hype, and the difficulty that came with it, into a positive learning tool for his future.

“The early hype affected me a lot,” Walker said.  “It made me grow up faster than other kids my same age and I feel that I’m more mature than a lot of them now.

“I look at the game differently,” he continued.  “I’m not out there to put on a show.  I’m willing to do whatever it takes to win and that’s all I’m looking to do.”

Listed at 6-4 and 200 pounds, part of Walker’s problem during the previous two seasons was his forced transition from an interior player to a perimeter player.  His ball-handling skills weren’t strong and his jump shot needed work.  But as he showed consistent improvement in those two areas last season, he turned himself back into a potential big-time player at the collegiate level.

Walker believes that his biggest strength is his ability to penetrate with the ball.

“I know when to take it all the way to the hoop and when to kick it out,” he said.  “I also have the strength to finish around the basket.”

Walker also acknowledged that he must continue to improve his ball handling and his jump shot during his final year of high school.

“My jump shot has gotten a lot better,” Walker said.  “And it’s going to keep improving.”

Though Walker is confident with the ball in his hands and has grown into a legitimate shooting guard, he says the USC coaches have spoken with him about coming in as a combo guard, where he would alternate between the ‘one’ and ‘two’ guard spots.

“I need to work on my handle,” Walker said.  

“If I’m going to slide to the ‘one’ from time to time, I need to be ready to bring it,” he continued.  “I’d be going against guys who have been playing point their whole lives and they’ve looking for the tiniest slip up in order to jump in and pick up a steal.  I don’t want to be the guy that gives them that opportunity.”

Entering his senior season, Walker is ESPN’s 24th-ranked shooting guard in the country, but could rise with another productive season.  

He said the Trojan coaches have assured him that he will fit in well with their style of play and Walker agreed.

“I like that they play up and down and everyone has freedom to play the game,” he said.

Walker said he chose to commit at this point in the year because as summer winds down and the season starts, most of the high-profile players will be committing soon.

“I wanted to let USC know there is no question that I want to be there,” Walker said.

“USC has always been in my top five or top ten schools I was considering,” he said.  “As I started looking more into it, in terms of who might leave and who might stay, I was looking at the chances of being an impact player my freshman year.  At USC, I think my chances are good of being that impact player and if that’s the case, why not stay close to my hometown and play in front of my family and friends?”

Not only is Walker interested in USC’s location, he’s also been paying attention to the rising number of Trojans who now reside in the NBA.

“I want to get my name out there as one of the next guys to come out of USC,” Walker said, specifically mentioning Nick Young, Gabe Pruitt and O.J. Mayo.  “Guys are starting to head to the NBA out of USC and I’m looking to put my name on that list.”