Lonnie Walker seems to return full circle on his basketball journey initially appeared on NBC Sports activities Boston
BOSTON — Lonnie Walker IV all the time appears to be smiling. However his smile solely widens when offered with a picture he posted on social media after signing with the Boston Celtics in August.
It is a shot of a younger Walker, sporting a Celtics winter cap, standing on the balcony of TD Backyard. After all he smiles.
“That is one in all my first NBA video games with my godfather, Geo,” Walker advised NBC Sports activities Boston. “My godfathers are Italian, so they’re die-hard Boston Celtics followers to say the least. So I grew up watching the Celtics and that is really one in all my first [NBA] the matches I’ve to observe.
Walker, a local of Studying, Pa., traveled 400 miles to Boston to go to TD Backyard throughout the Large Three’s closing period.
“They knew how a lot I beloved basketball,” Walker stated. “Watching Paul Pierce and everybody play, it was actually the primary time I watched the foremost leagues and was like, ‘Wow. I’ve a lot to be taught, a lot to develop.
Trying on the No. 12 Celtics jersey on his chest, Walker’s smile widened once more.
“It’s a full-circle second for me,” he stated.
Eyebrows throughout the league have been raised in late August when Walker dedicated to affix the defending champion Celtics in an Exhibit 10 deal, which is basically a coaching camp invitation for a participant hoping to be a part of a crew.
Celtics executives made it clear that with 14 gamers already signed and the crew ready to tackle hefty luxurious tax penalties, there was no assure they might take their fifteenth spot. Walker got here to Boston figuring out a extra possible situation could be being waived on the finish of the preseason and touchdown with the crew’s G-League affiliate in Maine.
There are dozens of gamers in camps this month on Exhibit 10 offers. Few have 322 video games of NBA expertise and have confirmed to be dependable choices for bench scoring at this degree.
Walker, the San Antonio Spurs’ 18th decide within the 2018 NBA Draft, may have waited for a crew to supply him a assured spot, or just sulked when nothing got here out. As an alternative, he took on the problem of proving as soon as once more that he belonged on an NBA roster.
“The trail is a little bit totally different for me personally,” Walker stated. “I am on the E10 in the meanwhile, nonetheless attempting to place all of it collectively and get the assure, however there’s nothing higher than being with a profitable crew, nothing higher than having a tradition that has a profitable mindset, and that is one thing that builds you, individually and total for the crew.
And why is he prepared to guess on himself?
“Psychological toughness,” Walker stated. “It is one thing I actually instill in myself. Day by day I consider in myself, within the quantity of labor I put in, the time and sacrifices I put into this recreation. Eventually, preparation has to answer the chance. So I am very affected person, I perceive what I’ve to do, and at any time when my time comes, I do know I am ready mentally and bodily.
Walker averaged a career-high 12.1 factors per recreation in 70 appearances for the Spurs throughout the 2021-22 season. He joined LeBron James’ Lakers the next season and made 32 begins in 56 appearances. Final 12 months, Walker averaged 9.7 factors in 17.4 minutes per recreation in a bench function with the Brooklyn Nets.
In a league with 450 spots, it looks as if there must be room someplace for Walker. However he welcomes the chance to point out he may also help Boston. In any case, it could deliver his basketball journey full circle.
However that younger Walker — and possibly even Walker, now 25 — may by no means have actually imagined sporting a Celtics jersey.
“By no means in one million years, to say the least,” Walker stated. “It hasn’t utterly hit me but, however it’s definitely an attractive factor to see, coming full circle, you realize? You simply must be in the suitable place on the proper time and, by the grace of God , every little thing will go in the suitable path.
“It is a championship group that’s coming off a championship 12 months. It means rather a lot [to put on this jersey]and also you type of come right here with the championship mindset, not skipping any steps, doing all your greatest, you owe it to your teammates day-after-day to be 100% and to be ready, mentally and bodily.
The choice to affix Boston was made simpler by the presence of acquainted faces, together with Derrick White, after the 2 met in San Antonio. Walker spent a part of this previous offseason coaching with Celtics guard Jrue Vacation and impressed the veteran along with his work ethic.
“We ended up coaching collectively this summer time, type of figuring out. Whether or not it was within the weight room or on the sphere,” Vacation stated. “Simply figuring out the work ethic. He has the flexibility to do a number of issues. He is very athletic and may rating. I feel being on a crew like this we will use his abilities. I imply, who would not wish to play right here?
“Very optimistic individual, very optimistic. You see it. He’s all the time smiling. A really, very grateful man. So actually, actually joyful to have him right here.
Earlier than coaching camp began, it wasn’t uncommon to seek out Walker on the health club at 6 a.m. (“Early birds get the worm,” he shrugs). He suggests he will get his work ethic from his father, Lonnie Walker III, who pushed him very exhausting, together with prioritizing faculty as a baby. It isn’t unusual to see Walker among the many final gamers on the court docket after follow, typically going by prolonged post-practice capturing drills.
Off the sphere, Walker loves horror motion pictures. It is his time of 12 months. He subscribes to Shudder, a thriller-themed streaming sequence. At one level in our dialog, he excitedly notes how shut we’re to Halloween-loving Salem. However, like many New Englanders, he pronounces it endearingly: “Sah-lum.” Simply wait till he has to attempt to say Gloucester. Nonetheless, going to Salem is on her October bucket record.
However first he should present Boston’s leaders that he may also help this crew.
Walker may have to vary his enjoying fashion a bit if he ever desires to make the mother and father roster. His scoring potential is apparent, however his utilization charge final season was 23.0 % (rating within the 89th percentile amongst all wings, in accordance with Cleansing the Glass knowledge) and he benefited from typically having the ball in his fingers in Brooklyn.
With Boston, he ought to embrace the function of a catch-and-shoot man. Walker shot 38.4 % on all 3-point makes an attempt final season and that quantity rose to a strong 45 % on all nook 3-pointers. His efficient area purpose proportion final season was 13.2 % greater in catch-and-shoot (59.9) than in pull-ups (46.7).
The 6-foot-4 Walker has good measurement and a 6-foot-10 wingspan that ought to permit him to thrive as a fringe defender. There’s one other degree he can exploit on that facet of the ball.
Walker did not play a lot in Boston’s two preseason video games in Abu Dhabi. He was one of many crew’s final reserves to hit the bottom, underscoring his speedy rise within the squad. Walker missed all six of his shot makes an attempt in 22 minutes of play. He typically hesitated and dribbled on troublesome photographs. He must make faster selections and shoot with confidence to persuade the teaching workers right here.
However he likes coach Joe Mazzulla’s direct fashion. On one in all his first mornings on the Auerbach Heart, Walker tried to have interaction his new coach by asking if he had watched the Canelo vs. Berlanga boxing match in mid-September.
“He advised me, ‘I do not watch pillow fights,'” Walker stated with fun.
“Joe is likely one of the quickest to show left on the subject of conversations. He loves the UFC however he hates boxing… It was like 8 a.m., simply to kick issues off, in order that’s the primary ‘Most Joe’ factor I’ve skilled up to now since I have been right here.
Spend a while with Walker and you may’t assist however really feel the positivity he exudes. His journey hasn’t all the time been simple – in 2020, he revealed the sexual abuse he suffered as a baby – however no quantity of adversity appears to remove that smile.
Walker hopes the subsequent step in his basketball journey takes place in Boston. He is prepared to take detours if that is not the case. All with the hope that it will finally deliver this basketball journey full circle.
