Lonnie Walker IV facts for kids
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Walker with Žalgiris Kaunas in 2025
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| [[Maccabi Tel Aviv|Maccabi Tel Aviv]] | |
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| Shooting guard | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | December 14, 1998 Reading, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| High school | Reading (Reading, Pennsylvania) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Listed weight | 204 lb (93 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Miami (Florida) (2017–2018) |
| NBA Draft | 2018 / Round: 1 / Pick: 18th overall |
| Selected by the San Antonio Spurs | |
| Pro career | 2018–present |
| League | Ligat HaAl EuroLeague |
| Career history | |
| 2018–2022 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 2018–2019 | →Austin Spurs |
| 2022–2023 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2023–2024 | Brooklyn Nets |
| 2024–2025 | Žalgiris Kaunas |
| 2025 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 2025–present | Maccabi Tel Aviv |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Lonnie Walker IV, born on December 14, 1998, is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays for Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel's top league, Ligat HaAl, and also in the EuroLeague.
During his time in high school, Lonnie was recognized as Mr. Pennsylvania Basketball. He also received the special honor of being a McDonald's All-American. After high school, he played college basketball for the Miami Hurricanes.
After a great first year in college, he was chosen in the first round of the 2018 NBA draft. The San Antonio Spurs picked him as the 18th player overall. He played four seasons with the Spurs. Later, he joined the Los Angeles Lakers, and has also played for the Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers.
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Lonnie's Early Life and High School Basketball
Lonnie Walker IV was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, on December 14, 1998. He went to Reading Senior High School in his hometown.
Lonnie started playing varsity basketball as a freshman. In his first year, he averaged eight points per game. As a sophomore, he averaged 16.9 points per game, even though his season was shorter due to an injury. In his junior year, he averaged 17.1 points per game.
During his senior year, Lonnie became a McDonald's All-American. He was also voted Mr. Pennsylvania Basketball, which is a big award for high school players in Pennsylvania. He scored a career-best 18.4 points per game that year. He also broke a school record by scoring a total of 1,828 points. This record was previously held by former NBA player Donyell Marshall.
On March 25, 2017, Lonnie led Reading Senior High School to their first state championship ever. They won the game 64–60 against the Pine-Richland Rams. Lonnie played a fantastic game, scoring 22 points, grabbing eight rebounds, making four steals, and getting three assists.
During his senior year, Lonnie decided to play college basketball for the Miami Hurricanes. He chose Miami over other top schools like Villanova, Kentucky, Syracuse, and Arizona.
College Basketball Career
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Lonnie Walker started his college career with the Miami Hurricanes on November 10, 2017. In his first game, he scored 10 points and had five assists. This was a big win against Gardner-Webb University.
A few weeks later, he scored 12 points and grabbed five rebounds against Princeton University. Just three days after that, he had his first college start. He scored 26 points and got seven rebounds in a win against Boston University.
In a game against Louisville, Lonnie scored 25 points. He made an amazing layup that sent the game into overtime. Against Boston College, he hit a 3-pointer with only two seconds left to win the game 79–78.
Lonnie finished his college season averaging 11.5 points per game. He was named to the ACC All-Freshman Team, which means he was one of the best first-year players in his conference. After just one season with Miami, Lonnie decided to enter the 2018 NBA draft.
Professional Basketball Journey
San Antonio Spurs (2018–2022)
On June 21, 2018, the San Antonio Spurs picked Lonnie Walker with the 18th overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft. He joined the Spurs' team for the NBA Summer League. On July 11, 2018, the Spurs officially signed him.
Lonnie had a small injury to his knee in October 2018. To help him get playing time, the Spurs sent him to their G-League team, the Austin Spurs, in November 2018. Lonnie made his official NBA debut on January 3, 2019. He scored three points in a win against the Toronto Raptors.
On December 3, 2019, Lonnie had a career-high game. He scored 28 points, with 19 of those points coming in the fourth quarter. This helped the Spurs win a double-overtime game against the Houston Rockets.
Los Angeles Lakers (2022–2023)
On July 6, 2022, Lonnie signed a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. He started the 2022–23 season strong, starting in 32 games. He was averaging 14.7 points per game before a knee injury sidelined him in late December.
When he returned after missing 14 games, his playing time was reduced. This was because other players like Austin Reaves stepped up, and the Lakers also added new players like D'Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Rui Hachimura.
In the 2023 NBA playoffs, Lonnie played a key role in a game against Golden State. He scored 12 points in 25 minutes, helping the Lakers take a 2–1 lead in the series. In Game 4, he scored all 15 of his points in the fourth quarter. This helped the Lakers come back from behind and win the game.
Brooklyn Nets (2023–2024)
On July 10, 2023, Lonnie signed a one-year contract with the Brooklyn Nets. After the season ended, he became a free agent. He later signed a one-year contract with the Boston Celtics in August, but was waived by them in October 2024.
Žalgiris Kaunas (2024–2025)
On October 30, 2024, Lonnie signed with Žalgiris Kaunas. This team plays in the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL) and the EuroLeague. He helped Žalgiris win the King Mindaugas Cup, a major basketball cup in Lithuania, on February 16, 2025. Just a few days later, on February 19, 2025, he left the team to return to the NBA.
Philadelphia 76ers (2025)
On February 21, 2025, Lonnie signed with his hometown team, the Philadelphia 76ers. After the 2025 NBA season, the 76ers decided not to keep him on their team, making him a free agent again.
Maccabi Tel Aviv (2025–Present)
On July 24, 2025, Lonnie signed a three-year contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv. This is a well-known Israeli basketball club that also plays in the EuroLeague. His contract includes options that would allow him to return to the NBA in 2025, 2026, or 2027 if he chooses.
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 |
NBA
Regular Season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018–19 | San Antonio | 17 | 0 | 6.9 | .348 | .385 | .800 | 1.0 | .5 | .4 | .2 | 2.6 |
| 2019–20 | San Antonio | 61 | 12 | 16.2 | .426 | .406 | .721 | 2.3 | 1.1 | .5 | .2 | 6.4 |
| 2020–21 | San Antonio | 60 | 38 | 25.4 | .420 | .355 | .814 | 2.6 | 1.7 | .5 | .3 | 11.2 |
| 2021–22 | San Antonio | 70 | 6 | 23.0 | .407 | .314 | .784 | 2.6 | 2.2 | .6 | .3 | 12.1 |
| 2022–23 | L.A. Lakers | 56 | 32 | 23.2 | .448 | .365 | .858 | 1.9 | 1.1 | .5 | .3 | 11.7 |
| 2023–24 | Brooklyn | 58 | 0 | 17.4 | .423 | .384 | .763 | 2.2 | 1.3 | .6 | .3 | 9.7 |
| 2024–25 | Philadelphia | 20 | 7 | 23.9 | .420 | .354 | .800 | 3.2 | 2.5 | .5 | .3 | 12.4 |
| Career | 342 | 95 | 20.5 | .422 | .356 | .795 | 2.3 | 1.5 | .5 | .3 | 10.0 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | San Antonio | 6 | 1 | 3.5 | .375 | .000 | — | .3 | .5 | .0 | .0 | 1.0 |
| 2023 | L.A. Lakers | 13 | 0 | 13.8 | .483 | .382 | .750 | .9 | .8 | .5 | .1 | 6.2 |
| Career | 19 | 1 | 10.5 | .471 | .371 | .750 | .7 | .7 | .4 | .1 | 1.0 | |
College
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017–18 | Miami | 32 | 18 | 27.8 | .415 | .346 | .738 | 2.6 | 1.9 | .9 | .5 | 11.5 |
Lonnie's Personal Life
Lonnie Walker IV is the son of Lonnie Walker III. His father moved from New Jersey to Reading, Pennsylvania, to play basketball at Alvernia University. Lonnie III left college when Lonnie IV was born in 1998. He raised his son as a single parent while working many jobs. Lonnie IV's father always encouraged him to read after school. Reading is still a part of Lonnie's routine before games.
Lonnie has a dog named Zola. Zola is named after a character from a comic book. Lonnie and Zola appeared in an ad campaign for PETA. The ad reminded people not to leave their dogs in hot cars.
In June 2020, Lonnie decided to cut his long, unique hairstyle. He said this act helped him feel a big change inside himself.
See also
In Spanish: Lonnie Walker para niños
