Antoine Walker facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Antoine Walker

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.
High school	Mount Carmel (Chicago, Illinois)
Listed height	6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight	245 lb (111 kg)
Career information
College	Kentucky (1994–1996)
NBA Draft	1996 / Round: 1 / Pick: 6th overall
Selected by the Boston Celtics
Pro career	1996–2012
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 and awards
NBA champion (2006) 3× NBA All-Star (1998, 2002, 2003) NBA All-Rookie First Team (1997) NCAA champion (1996) First-team All-SEC (1996) SEC tournament MVP (1995) McDonald's All-American (1994) First-team Parade All-American (1994)
Career NBA statistics
Points	15,647 (17.5 ppg)
Rebounds	6,891 (7.7 rpg)
Assists	3,170 (3.5 apg)

Antoine Devon Walker (born August 12, 1976) is a former professional basketball player from the United States. He was chosen as the sixth player in the 1996 NBA draft after playing for the University of Kentucky. Walker played in the NBA from 1996 to 2008.

He played for several teams, including the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat, and Minnesota Timberwolves. He also played for the Mets de Guaynabo in Puerto Rico and the NBA D-League's Idaho Stampede. Walker retired from basketball in 2012. He was a three-time NBA All-Star. He won an NCAA championship with Kentucky in 1996 and an NBA championship with the Heat in 2006.

Early Basketball Days

Antoine Walker went to Mount Carmel High School in Chicago. He played basketball there with future NFL quarterback Donovan McNabb. Antoine was a top player in his senior year. This earned him a full scholarship to play for the University of Kentucky.

At Kentucky, he played for coach Rick Pitino. He was a starting forward on the team that won the 1996 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Game. As a freshman, he was named the SEC Tournament's MVP. In his second year, Walker was named to the All-SEC First Team.

Professional Basketball Career

Playing for the Boston Celtics (1996–2003)

After his second year at Kentucky, Antoine Walker decided to join the NBA draft. The Boston Celtics picked him sixth overall in the 1996 NBA draft. In his first season (1996–1997), Walker was named to the All-Rookie First Team. He led the Celtics in scoring with 17.5 points per game. He also led the team in rebounds with 9.0 per game.

The next season, his college coach Rick Pitino became the Celtics' new coach. Walker became an All-Star that year. He averaged 22.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. He even scored a career-high 49 points in one game. Walker's success led to him being on the cover of the video game NBA Live 99.

In 1998, the Celtics drafted Paul Pierce. In the 2001–2002 season, Walker had one of his best years. He helped the Celtics get a 49–33 record. This was their first time reaching the playoffs in seven years. He was second on his team in scoring (22.0 points). He was first in rebounds (9.0) and assists (5.0). Walker and Pierce led the team to the Eastern Conference finals. They lost to the New Jersey Nets in six games. The next season, Walker was chosen for his third All-Star team.

Moving to Dallas and Atlanta (2003–2005)

Just before the 2003–04 season, Walker was traded to the Dallas Mavericks. He played there for one season. On August 8, 2004, Walker was traded again. This time he went to the Atlanta Hawks. He played for the Hawks for part of the 2004–05 season.

Back with the Celtics (2005)

On February 24, 2005, Walker was traded back to the Boston Celtics. He started all 24 games he played for them. He averaged 16.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. The Celtics made it to the playoffs but lost in the first round. During this time, he wore jersey number 88. His usual number 8 was being worn by a rookie player.

Winning a Championship with Miami (2005–2007)

Walker won an NBA championship with the Heat in 2006.

On August 2, 2005, Walker was part of a huge trade. It involved five teams and 13 players. He moved from the Celtics to the Miami Heat. This trade reunited him with his former Celtics teammate Gary Payton. The Heat often used Walker as a player who came off the bench. He played both forward positions. He finished the season averaging 12.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. He was a key scorer for the team. Walker also made the most three-point shots for the Heat that season.

In the playoffs, Walker's performance got even better. He was the third-highest scorer for the team. He scored 20 points or more in four different playoff games. Miami reached the NBA Finals and played against the Dallas Mavericks. Walker averaged 13.8 points per game in the series. The Heat won the NBA championship in 6 games. In the final game, Walker scored 14 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. In the 2006–2007 season, his scoring dipped to 8.5 points per game. The Heat did not win the championship again that year.

Later Career (2007–2012)

On October 24, 2007, Walker was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves. He played there for one season. In 2008, he was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. He was later released by the Grizzlies in December 2008.

In February 2010, Walker signed with the Guaynabo Mets in Puerto Rico. He played there for a short time. In December 2010, Walker joined the Idaho Stampede in the NBA Development League. He played for the Stampede for two years. In April 2012, Antoine Walker announced his retirement from basketball.

Personal Life

Antoine Walker grew up in Chicago, Illinois. He attended Mount Carmel High School. Walker was engaged to reality TV star Evelyn Lozada from 1998 to 2008. She was on the show Basketball Wives.

After his playing career, Walker became a basketball analyst. He worked for 120 Sports and later for SEC Network. In August 2013, Walker announced that he had paid off all his debts.

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular season

Playoffs

College

Images for kids

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  Walker in December 2005

See also

In Spanish: Antoine Walker para niños