Ayana Walker facts for kids
| No. 12 | |||||||||||||||||
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| Forward | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
| Born | September 10, 1979 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
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| High school | Westbury (Houston, Texas) | ||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 143 lb (65 kg) | ||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||
| College | Louisiana Tech (1998–2002) | ||||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 2002 / Round: 2 / Pick: 20th overall | ||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Detroit Shock | |||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 2002–2007 | ||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2005 | Detroit Shock | ||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2006 | Charlotte Sting | ||||||||||||||||
| 2007 | Detroit Shock | ||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||
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Ayana D'Nay Walker, born on September 10, 1979, is a former American basketball player. She was a strong forward known for her rebounding and defense. Ayana played college basketball for the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters basketball team from 1998 to 2002.
She achieved great success in her career. Ayana won a gold medal with the USA Basketball Women's National Team in 2001. She also helped the Detroit Shock win the WNBA Championship in 2003. Ayana played for several teams during her time in the WNBA.
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Ayana's College Basketball Journey
Ayana Walker played college basketball at Louisiana Tech University. She was a key player for the Lady Techsters team. Her college career lasted from 1998 to 2002.
During her time at Louisiana Tech, Ayana showed her skills. She was known for scoring points and grabbing rebounds. She also played strong defense for her team.
Playing for Team USA
Ayana Walker proudly represented the United States in international basketball. She played in the World University Games, which are like a mini-Olympics for college athletes.
1999 World University Games
In 1999, Ayana played for Team USA in the World University Games. These games were held in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Her team played well and earned a silver medal. Ayana was a strong defender, leading her team in blocked shots.
2001 World University Games
Ayana was chosen again for Team USA in 2001. This time, the games took place in Beijing, China. The team had a fantastic run, winning many tough games.
They faced strong opponents, including the host team, China. Team USA won the gold medal game against China with a score of 87–67. In that game, Ayana set a new record for Team USA in the World University Games. She grabbed an amazing 19 rebounds in a single game! She was also the top scorer and rebounder for her team in the tournament.
Ayana's WNBA Career
Ayana Walker was drafted into the WNBA in 2002. She was the 20th player picked overall in the 2002 WNBA draft. Her first team was the Detroit Shock.
Winning a WNBA Championship
As a member of the Detroit Shock, Ayana achieved a major goal. In 2003, her team won the WNBA Championship. This was a huge accomplishment for her and the team.
Moving to Other Teams
After playing for the Detroit Shock, Ayana moved to other teams. In 2005, she joined the Charlotte Sting. She played for the Sting until the team stopped playing.
In 2007, Ayana was chosen by the Los Angeles Sparks in a special draft. This draft happened when the Charlotte Sting team closed down. Later that year, she returned to the Detroit Shock for her final season. Ayana retired from professional basketball in 2007.
Career Statistics
Ayana Walker's career statistics show her performance in college and the WNBA. These numbers help us understand how well she played.
WNBA Regular Season Statistics
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Detroit | 32 | 0 | 17.1 | 37.7 | 22.2 | 69.4 | 3.7 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 5.1 |
| 2003† | Detroit | 34 | 1 | 8.0 | 34.3 | — | 38.1 | 2.1 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 1.6 |
| 2004 | Detroit | 18 | 1 | 8.2 | 28.6 | — | 33.3 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 1.0 |
| 2005 | Detroit | 12 | 11 | 20.1 | 48.1 | — | 75.0 | 3.9 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 4.9 |
| Charlotte | 9 | 0 | 10.2 | 25.0 | — | 50.0 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 1.3 | |
| 2006 | Charlotte | 25 | 0 | 7.3 | 45.9 | — | 57.1 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 1.8 |
| 2007 | Detroit | 2 | 1 | 21.5 | 42.9 | — | 33.3 | 3.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 3.5 |
| Career | 6 years, 2 teams | 132 | 14 | 11.6 | 38.2 | 22.2 | 58.3 | 2.4 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 2.7 |
| † | Denotes season(s) in which Walker won a WNBA championship |
WNBA Playoff Statistics
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003† | Detroit | 4 | 0 | 6.0 | 20.0 | — | 100.0 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.3 |
| 2004 | Detroit | 2 | 0 | 2.0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
| 2007 | Detroit | 5 | 0 | 1.8 | 66.7 | — | 66.7 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.2 |
| Career | 3 years, 1 team | 11 | 0 | 3.4 | 37.5 | — | 83.3 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 1.0 |
College Statistics
| Year | Team | GP | Points | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999–00 | Louisiana Tech | 33 | 332 | 52.9% | 0.0% | 72.0% | 7.1 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 10.1 |
| 2000–01 | 36 | 577 | 47.5% | 25.0% | 69.6% | 8.5 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 2.4 | 16.0 | |
| 2001–02 | 29 | 391 | 44.5% | 0.0% | 68.4% | 9.2 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 13.5 | |
| Career | 98 | 1300 | 47.8% | 16.7% | 69.8% | 8.2 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 2.0 | 13.3 | |
