Lonnie Walker

Lonnie Walker IV (born December 14, 1998) is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played high school basketball for Reading High School in Pennsylvania. He signed a letter of intent to continue his academic and athletic career at the University of Miami.[1] In January 2017 Walker was selected as a McDonald's All-American.[2]

Lonnie Walker
No. 1 – San Antonio Spurs
PositionShooting guard
LeagueNBA
Personal information
Born (1998-12-14) December 14, 1998
Reading, Pennsylvania
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High schoolReading (Reading, Pennsylvania)
CollegeMiami (Florida) (2017–2018)
NBA draft2018 / Round: 1 / Pick: 18th overall
Selected by the San Antonio Spurs
Playing career2018–present
Career history
2018–presentSan Antonio Spurs
2018–2019→Austin Spurs
Career highlights and awards
Stats  at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

High school career

Walker attended Reading Senior High School in Reading, Pennsylvania. Walker made his varsity basketball debut as a freshman and played 27 games averaging 8 points per game, and later as a sophomore he averaged 16.9 points per game in a short season due to injury. And in 29 games, as a junior, he averaged 17.1 points per game. During his senior year he averaged a career best 18.4 points per game and surpassed Reading High grad and former NBA player Donyell Marshall's school record in points by finishing with 1,828. On March 25, 2017, Walker led the Red Knights to their first state championship in the program's 117-year history in a 64-60 win over the Pine-Richland Rams. Walker finished the game with 22 points, 8 rebounds, 4 steals, and 3 assists.[3] During the season Walker signed with the Miami Hurricanes, passing on offers from Villanova, Kentucky, Syracuse and Arizona.[4]

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Lonnie Walker
SG		 Reading, PA Reading HS (PA) 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 192 lb (87 kg) Nov 16, 2016 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:   ESPN grade: 93
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: #32   Rivals: #29  247Sports: #17  ESPN: #18
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "Miami 2017 Basketball Commitments". Rivals.com. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  • "2017 Miami Basketball Commits". Scout.com. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  • "2017 Miami Hurricanes Recruiting Class". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  • "Scout.com Team Recruiting Rankings". Scout.com. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  • "2017 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved February 6, 2017.

College career

Walker made his collegiate debut on November 10, 2017, recording 10 points and a season-high 5 assists coming off the bench in a 77–45 blowout win over Gardner-Webb University. He created new highs of 12 points and 5 rebounds on December 2 in an 80–52 blowout win against Princeton University before recording season-highs of 26 points and 7 rebounds during his first collegiate start three days later in a 69–54 win over Boston University. Against Louisville, he scored a game-high 25 points including an acrobatic layup in traffic to force overtime. In a game against Boston College, he hit a 3-pointer with two seconds remaining to win 79-78.[5] Walker finished the season averaging 11.5 points per game and was named to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) All-freshman team.[6]

After his sole season with Miami concluded, Walker declared for the 2018 NBA draft.[7]

Professional career

2018–19 season

On June 21, 2018, Walker was selected with the 18th overall pick by the San Antonio Spurs in the 2018 NBA draft. Walker was later included in the 2018 NBA Summer League roster of the Spurs.[8] On July 11, 2018, the Spurs announced that they signed Walker.[9] On October 6, 2018, Walker was revealed to have a right medial meniscus tear.[10] On November 25, 2018, the San Antonio Spurs assigned Walker the first time of the season to the Austin Spurs.[11] Walker made his NBA debut on January 3, 2019 in a 125–107 win against the Toronto Raptors, scoring three points and grabbing one rebound in five minutes of play.[12]

2019–20 season

On December 4, 2019, Walker scored a career-high 28 points, including 19 in the 4th quarter, in a 135–133 double overtime win over the Houston Rockets with four rebounds, three steals and a block.[13]

Career statistics
Legend
  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

Regular season
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2018–19 San Antonio 1706.9.348.385.8001.0.5.4.22.6
2019–20 San Antonio 611216.2.426.406.7212.31.1.5.26.4
Career 781214.2.417.404.7322.01.0.5.25.6

Playoffs
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2019 San Antonio 603.5.375.000—.3.5.0.01.0
Career 603.5.375.000—.3.5.0.01.0

College
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2017–18 Miami 321827.8.415.346.7382.61.9.9.511.5

Personal life

During the 2018 NBA Draft Combine, Walker made public his interest in conspiracy theories. In 2018, Walker also donated 300 pairs of Adidas sneakers to his hometown youth blacktop league.[14] Walker has a dog named Zola, who appeared with him in a PETA ad campaign, reminding people not to leave their dogs in hot, parked cars.[15]

In June of 2020, Walker revealed he had been the victim of frequent sexual abuse by family members as an adolescent, and had grown out his trademark long hairstyle as a coping mechanism. In deciding to cut his hair, Walker described the act as having "shed my skin mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually."[16]

References
  1. "Five Star Recruit Lonnie Walker commits to Miami Hurricanes". espn. November 17, 2016. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  2. "2017 McDonald's All-American Game boys rosters announced". maxpreps. January 15, 2017. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  3. "READING HIGH ARE THE STATE CHAMPS FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER!! by: Trey Erdman – Raw Sports". rawsports.tv.
  4. "Lonnie Walker recruiting profile". espn. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  5. "Walker's 3 pointer lifts Miami past Boston College 79–78". ESPN.com. Associated Press. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
  6. "One and done: UM's Walker enters NBA Draft".
  7. "Miami Basketball: Lonnie Walker leaves for draft; 'Canes roster could shuffle - College Hoops Watch". collegehoopswatch.com.
  8. "SPURS ANNOUNCE 2018 UTAH SUMMER LEAGUE ROSTER". NBA.com. June 28, 2018. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  9. "SPURS SIGN 2018 FIRST ROUND PICK LONNIE WALKER IV". NBA.com. July 11, 2018. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  10. "Spurs rookie Lonnie Walker IV to have surgery for medial meniscus tear". NBA.com. October 6, 2018. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
  11. "SAN ANTONIO ASSIGNS LONNIE WALKER IV TO AUSTIN SPURS". NBA.com. November 25, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  12. Ahearn, Cale (January 4, 2019). "Reading native Lonnie Walker makes NBA debut". FOX43.com. WPMT.
  13. "Walker lifts Spurs; Rockets fall in 2OT despite Harden's 50". ESPN.com. December 4, 2019. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
  14. McPherson, Jordan (May 22, 2018). "Move over, flat earth believers. Lonnie Walker has a new conspiracy theory for you". Miami Herald. Retrieved June 21, 2018.
  15. David Lynch, "Spurs' Lonnie Walker reminds you not to leave your dogs in hot cars in PETA partnership," KENS5, 11 July 2019.
  16. McMenamin, Dave (June 12, 2020). "Spurs' Lonnie Walker IV says new haircut freeing as he works through childhood sexual abuse". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
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