Antoine Walker

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Walker attended Mount Carmel High School in Chicago, where he played with future NFL quarterback Donovan McNabb and attained all-state status as a senior, earning a full scholarship to play for Rick Pitino at the University of Kentucky. He was a starting forward on the Wildcats' 1996 NCAA championship team. As a freshman he was named SEC Tournament MVP. In his sophomore year, Walker was named All-SEC First, All-SEC Tournament and to the All-NCAA Regional Teams. After his sophomore season, he declared for the 1996 NBA draft and was picked sixth overall by the Boston Celtics. In the 1996–1997 season, Walker made the All-Rookie First Team and led the team in scoring (17.5 ppg) and rebounding (9.0), as the team had its worst season in franchise history, 15–67. The following season, Pitino was reunited with Walker as the new coach of the Celtics and he made the All-Star team as a reserve while averaging 22.4 ppg and 10.2 rpg. He also scored a career-high 49 points in a loss against the Washington Wizards. Walker's success led to his appearance on the cover of NBA Live 99. In the 2001–2002 season, Walker had his best overall season by helping lead the Celtics to a 49–33 record and their first playoff berth in seven years. He was second on his team in scoring (22.0), first in rebounds (9), and first in assists (5.0). Pierce and Walker took the team to the Eastern Conference finals, where they fell to the New Jersey Nets in six games. The next season, Walker made his third All-Star team. On February 20, 2002, former Kentucky teammate Tony Delk was traded to the Celtics, reuniting Walker with him. Ten days before the start of the 2003–04 season, Walker was traded with Delk to the Dallas Mavericks for Raef LaFrentz, Chris Mills, Jiří Welsch, and a 2004 first-round draft pick. On August 8, 2004, Walker and Delk were traded again, this time to the Atlanta Hawks for Jason Terry, longtime Hawk Alan Henderson and a conditional 2007 first-round draft pick. On February 24, 2005, Walker was traded back to the Celtics in a deal that sent Gary Payton, Tom Gugliotta, Michael Stewart, and a first-round draft pick to the Hawks. Walker started all 24 remaining games for the Celtics, averaging 16.3 points and 8.3 rebounds a game as the Celtics advanced to the playoffs before losing to the Indiana Pacers in a 7-game first round series. For his second stint with the Celtics, Walker br

In Their Own Story

The arena lights hummed against the squeak of sneakers as Antoine Walker drove into the paint, his muscle memory firing on instinct. The crowd at Gund Arena roared, sensing another potential highlight reel dunk, but the rhythm was off. He looked toward the sideline, seeking a cue that never came, realizing that in this new city, the script had changed. For one fleeting season, he was the veteran anchor, but as the trade rumors swirled like winter wind outside the arena, he knew his time as a Cavalier was already counting down.

Reader's Guide

Walker was a three-time NBA All-Star and won an NBA championship with the Miami Heat in 2006. He was known for his versatility as a forward, his three-point shooting, and his leadership on the court. He played for the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, Mets de Guaynabo, and Idaho Stampede. He was drafted sixth overall in the 1996 NBA draft out of the University of Kentucky, where he won an NCAA championship in 1996.

Did You Know?

• Walker was a three-time NBA All-Star.
• He won an NCAA championship with Kentucky in 1996 and an NBA championship with the Miami Heat in 2006.
• Walker scored a career-high 49 points in a loss against the Washington Wizards.
• He appeared on the cover of NBA Live 99.
• Walker was involved in the largest trade in NBA history, a five-team, 13-player deal that sent him from the Celtics to the Heat in 2005.