.JPG) Walker coaching in the Nike summer basketball Chi-League in 2014 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1976-08-12)August 12, 1976 (age 49) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 245 lb (111 kg)[1] |
| Career information | |
| High school | Mount Carmel (Chicago, Illinois) |
| College | Kentucky (1994–1996) |
| NBA draft | 1996: 1st round, 6th overall pick |
| Drafted by | Boston Celtics |
| Playing career | 1996–2012 |
| Position | Power forward /small forward |
| Number | 8, 88, 24 |
| Career history | |
| 1996–2003 | Boston Celtics |
| 2003–2004 | Dallas Mavericks |
| 2004–2005 | Atlanta Hawks |
| 2005 | Boston Celtics |
| 2005–2007 | Miami Heat |
| 2007–2008 | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 2010 | Mets de Guaynabo |
| 2010–2012 | Idaho Stampede |
| Career highlights | |
| |
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 15,647 (17.5 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 6,891 (7.7 rpg) |
| Assists | 3,170 (3.5 apg) |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
Antoine Devon Walker (born August 12, 1976) is an American former professionalbasketball player. He was drafted with the sixth overall pick in the1996 NBA draft out of theUniversity of Kentucky and played in the NBA from 1996 to 2008. Walker played for theBoston Celtics,Dallas Mavericks,Atlanta Hawks,Miami Heat,Minnesota Timberwolves, theBSN'sMets de Guaynabo and theNBA D-League'sIdaho Stampede before retiring from basketball in 2012. Walker, a three-time NBA All-Star, won anNCAA championship with Kentucky in 1996 and an NBA championship with the Heat in 2006.
Walker attendedMount Carmel High School, in Chicago, where he played with futureNFLquarterbackDonovan McNabb and attained all-state status as a senior, earning a full scholarship to play forRick Pitino at theUniversity of Kentucky. He was a starting forward on the Wildcats'1996 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Game-winning team. As a freshman at Kentucky he was namedSEC TournamentMVP. In his sophomore year, Walker was named All-SEC First, All-SEC Tournament and to the All-NCAA Regional Teams.
After Walker's sophomore season, he declared for the1996 NBA draft and was picked sixth overall by theBoston Celtics. In the 1996–1997 season, Walker made the All-Rookie First Team and led the team in scoring (17.5 ppg) and rebounding (9.0), as the team had its worst season in franchise history, 15–67. The following season, Pitino was reunited with Walker as the new coach of the Celtics and he made the All-Star team as a reserve while averaging 22.4 ppg and 10.2 rpg. He also scored a career-high 49 points in a loss against theWashington Wizards. Walker's success led to his appearance on the cover ofNBA Live 99.[2]
In the 1998 draft, the Celtics had the 10th pick and chose swing manPaul Pierce. In the 2001–2002 season, Walker had his best overall season by helping lead the Celtics to a 49–33 record and their first playoff berth in seven years. He was second on his team in scoring (22.0), first in rebounds (9), and first in assists (5.0). Pierce and Walker took the team to the Eastern Conference finals, where they fell to the New Jersey Nets in six games. The next season, Walker made his third All-Star team. On February 20, 2002, former Kentucky teammateTony Delk was traded to the Celtics, reuniting Walker with him.
Ten days before the start of the2003–04 season, Walker was traded with Delk to theDallas Mavericks forRaef LaFrentz,Chris Mills,Jiří Welsch, and a 2004 first-round draft pick. On August 8, 2004, Walker and Delk were traded again, this time to theAtlanta Hawks forJason Terry, longtime HawkAlan Henderson and a conditional 2007 first-round draft pick. As the pick did not convey, Dallas received cash considerations from Atlanta instead.
On February 24, 2005, Walker was traded back to the Celtics in a deal that sentGary Payton,Tom Gugliotta,Michael Stewart, and a first-round draft pick to the Hawks.[3] (Payton was released by the Hawks and re-signed with Boston for the remainder of the season). Walker started all 24 remaining games for the Celtics, averaging 16.3 points and 8.3 rebounds a game as the Celtics advanced to the playoffs before losing to theIndiana Pacers in a 7-game first round series. For his second stint with the Celtics, Walker briefly chose to wear the uniform number 88, as his trademark 8 jersey was being worn by rookieAl Jefferson. Jefferson would switch to number 7 after two games.
On August 2, 2005, Walker was involved in a five-team, 13-player deal (the largest trade in NBA history) that sent him from the Celtics to theMiami Heat. The Celtics receivedCurtis Borchardt,Qyntel Woods, the draft rights ofAlbert Miralles, and draft picks in the deal. The move reunited Walker with Celtics teammateGary Payton. The Heat played Walker mostly off the bench, and he rotated between both forward positions. He finished the season with averages of 12.2 points and 5.1 rebounds a game as the team's main scorer off the bench. Walker also led the team in overall 3-point shots made for the season, and increased his 3-point, free throw and overall shooting percentages.
In the playoffs his production would increase, as he would be the third leading scorer for the team, posting 20 points in four different playoff games, including 23 against theNew Jersey Nets in the closing game of the conference semifinals. Miami advanced to the NBA Finals and faced theDallas Mavericks, with Walker posting 13.8 points per game in the series as the Heat won theNBA championship in 6 games. In the title clinching sixth game in Dallas, Walker contributed 14 points and 11 rebounds. Walker's production dipped in the 2006–2007 season as he averaged 8.5 points a game and 4.3 rebounds. The Heat failed to repeat as champions following a first round loss to theChicago Bulls.
On October 24, 2007, Walker was traded to theMinnesota Timberwolves along withMichael Doleac,Wayne Simien, a first-round draft pick and cash considerations in exchange forRicky Davis andMark Blount.[4][5][6] On June 27, 2008, Walker was dealt to theMemphis Grizzlies along withMarko Jarić,Greg Buckner, and the rights toO. J. Mayo, forMike Miller,Brian Cardinal,Jason Collins, and the rights toKevin Love.[7] After appearing in just two preseason games and remaining inactive throughout the opening months of the regular season,[8] he was waived by the Grizzlies on December 19, 2008.
In February 2010, Walker signed with theGuaynabo Mets, along with formerChicago Bulls playerMarcus Fizer.[9] Walker was released on April 1, 2010.[10]
On May 6, 2010, ESPN reported that Walker was trying to return to the NBA.[11] On December 7, 2010, Walker was acquired byIdaho Stampede of theNBA Development League. It was reported in April 2012 that Walker had announced his retirement after two years with the Stampede.[12]
Walker was born and raised on theSouth Side of Chicago. He attendedMount Carmel High School. Walker was engaged to reality starEvelyn Lozada ofBasketball Wives from 1998 until 2008.[13][14]
Walker was a basketball analyst on120 Sports.[15] Walker was also hired bySEC Network as a basketball analyst.
In 1997, alongside Walker's roommate as well as NBA playersRon Mercer andChauncey Billups, Walker was identified in a lawsuit of a woman who said she was raped in his home.[16] On January 5, 2009, Walker was arrested fordriving under the influence inMiami Beach, Florida.[17][18]
On July 15, 2009, Walker was charged with three felony counts of writing bad checks related to gambling debts he had incurred at three Las Vegas casinos.[19] Walker was arrested on July 15 atHarrah's Casino inSouth Lake Tahoe,Nevada. The charges stemmed from over $800,000 in gambling debts. Walker was in South Lake Tahoe to play in theAmerican Century Celebrity Golf Classic the following day.[20] On June 30, 2010, Walker entered a plea of not guilty on felony bad check charges stemming from his failure to pay $770,000 in gambling losses to Caesars Palace and two other casinos in Las Vegas, according to theLas Vegas Review Journal.[21] One year later, he pleaded guilty to one felony count of passing a bad check. Under the plea agreement, he did not face a prison term, and was put on probation and worked towards repaying the debt.[22]
In July 2000, Walker and former University of Kentucky teammateNazr Mohammed were robbed outside aSouth Side Chicago restaurant.[23] On July 9, 2007, Walker and another individual were robbed at gunpoint by two offenders in his own house. The assailants made off with close to $200,000 worth of merchandise, including Walker'sMercedes. His car was later recovered having been stripped of its expensive aftermarket wheels and stereo system. Four men were charged in this robbery and two of them were also linked to the similar robbery of fellow NBA playerEddy Curry.[24]
On May 18, 2010, Walker filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection in the Southern District of Florida (Miami) as case number 10–23558 with total assets of $4.3 million and debts of $12.7 million. The filing listed four pieces of real estate including a $2.3 million Miami home that was underwater with a mortgage of $3.6 million, and three other properties in Chicago, one listed for $1.4 million.Nazr Mohammed paid half the fee of Walker's bankruptcy attorney. Walker's championship ring had to be sold off. In August 2013, Walker announced that he was debt-free.[25] Between 1996 and 2009, Walker earned more than $108 million from NBA salaries.[26]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| † | Won anNBA championship | * | Led the league |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–97 | Boston | 82 | 68 | 36.2 | .425 | .327 | .631 | 9.0 | 3.2 | 1.3 | .6 | 17.5 |
| 1997–98 | Boston | 82* | 82* | 39.9 | .423 | .312 | .645 | 10.2 | 3.3 | 1.7 | .7 | 22.4 |
| 1998–99 | Boston | 42 | 41 | 36.9 | .412 | .369 | .559 | 8.5 | 3.1 | 1.5 | .7 | 18.7 |
| 1999–00 | Boston | 82 | 82* | 36.6 | .430 | .256 | .699 | 8.0 | 3.7 | 1.4 | .4 | 20.5 |
| 2000–01 | Boston | 81 | 81 | 41.9 | .413 | .367 | .716 | 8.9 | 5.5 | 1.7 | .6 | 23.4 |
| 2001–02 | Boston | 81 | 81 | 42.0 | .394 | .344 | .741 | 8.8 | 5.0 | 1.5 | .5 | 22.1 |
| 2002–03 | Boston | 78 | 78 | 41.5 | .388 | .323 | .615 | 7.2 | 4.8 | 1.5 | .4 | 20.1 |
| 2003–04 | Dallas | 82 | 82 | 34.6 | .428 | .269 | .554 | 8.3 | 4.5 | .8 | .8 | 14.0 |
| 2004–05 | Atlanta | 53 | 53 | 40.2 | .415 | .317 | .534 | 9.4 | 3.7 | 1.2 | .6 | 20.4 |
| 2004–05 | Boston | 24 | 24 | 34.5 | .442 | .342 | .557 | 8.3 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 16.3 |
| 2005–06† | Miami | 82* | 19 | 26.8 | .435 | .358 | .628 | 5.1 | 2.0 | .6 | .4 | 12.2 |
| 2006–07 | Miami | 78 | 15 | 23.3 | .397 | .275 | .438 | 4.3 | 1.7 | .6 | .2 | 8.5 |
| 2007–08 | Minnesota | 46 | 1 | 19.4 | .363 | .324 | .530 | 3.7 | 1.0 | .7 | .2 | 8.0 |
| Career | 893 | 707 | 35.3 | .414 | .325 | .633 | 7.7 | 3.5 | 1.2 | .5 | 17.5 | |
| All-Star | 3 | 1 | 13.3 | .350 | .300 | .500 | 2.0 | 1.3 | .7 | .0 | 6.0 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Boston | 16 | 16 | 43.9 | .411 | .385 | .781 | 8.6 | 3.3 | 1.5 | .4 | 22.1 |
| 2003 | Boston | 10 | 10 | 44.0 | .415 | .356 | .500 | 8.7 | 4.3 | 1.7 | .4 | 17.3 |
| 2004 | Dallas | 5 | 5 | 28.0 | .361 | .100 | .571 | 10.0 | 2.4 | 1.2 | .6 | 9.8 |
| 2005 | Boston | 6 | 6 | 37.3 | .413 | .368 | .636 | 7.3 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 16.7 |
| 2006† | Miami | 23 | 23 | 37.5 | .403 | .324 | .574 | 5.6 | 2.4 | 1.0 | .3 | 13.3 |
| 2007 | Miami | 4 | 0 | 23.0 | .405 | .500 | .818 | 2.3 | 1.5 | .5 | .3 | 11.8 |
| Career | 64 | 60 | 38.5 | .406 | .352 | .663 | 7.1 | 2.9 | 1.2 | .4 | 16.1 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994–95 | Kentucky | 33 | 2 | 14.5 | .419 | .309 | .712 | 4.5 | 1.4 | .8 | .2 | 7.8 |
| 1995–96 | Kentucky | 36 | 35 | 27.0 | .463 | .188 | .631 | 8.4 | 2.9 | 1.7 | .7 | 15.2 |
| Career | 69 | 37 | 21.0 | .449 | .252 | .660 | 6.5 | 2.2 | 1.3 | .5 | 11.7 | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |