Walker is gone

[NVGator]

surprised this isn't on here. Multiple reports saying he's not going to be with the team next year despite reports earlier that he was returning.

Mai's this to make room for a Scholly or due to Billy going to the NBA?

http://www.onlygators.com/04/23/2015...ck-at-florida/

 

[MidwestChomp]

I suspect Billy D had a hunch otherwise why oversign? I think Walker's best bet is transfer to a smaller school, but I wouldn't be shocked if he went overseas. Regardless, I thank him for his time at UF and wish him the best.

 

[GatorBart]

surprised this isn't on here. Multiple reports saying he's not going to be with the team next year despite reports earlier that he was returning.

Mai's this to make room for a Scholly or due to Billy going to the NBA?

http://www.onlygators.com/04/23/2015/report-chris-walker-not-expected-back-at-florida/

I know you don't care for Walker, but I would love for him to stay and at least develop into something more than what he currently is. If he leaves, he may end up in the D league, but Europe is probably more realistic at this stage of his game. He wouldn't be missed much, but given our situation, I'd rather keep the extra big man and lose the injury prone Carter to make room for the last scholarship signee. As far as the BD to NBA rumors, not much we can do but sit back and wait it out.

 

[Gator Fever]

He probably could have got drafted 2nd round after his first season just based on potential and starting the season late but now I doubt he would even get picked late 2nd round but you never know I guess. I wonder where he will end up. If he doesn't improve his game some more I think he would struggle overseas also.

 

[NVGator]

I know you don't care for Walker, but I would love for him to stay and at least develop into something more than what he currently is. If he leaves, he may end up in the D league, but Europe is probably more realistic at this stage of his game. He wouldn't be missed much, but given our situation, I'd rather keep the extra big man and lose the injury prone Carter to make room for the last scholarship signee. As far as the BD to NBA rumors, not much we can do but sit back and wait it out.

it's not that I don't care for him but just disappointed in his development. I've always thought BD lacked a great "Big Man" coach as well as a great FT Coach.

 

[Mainland_Buc_75]

Could be his grades: "Multiple sources have indicated to Alligator Army that Walker may have been academically ineligible for the 2015-16 season, even if he had wanted to stay."

 

[ATXGator]

i saw the Alligator Army article also and that wouldn't surprise me. Walker has not developed as I had hoped, but we could definitely use his size and hopefully some development. We don't have much size next year once again... just the guy from USF, but other than that we are missing size.

Walker would get destroyed in the NBA or Europe... his game needs a ton of work and I don't know him well enough to know if he is really going to put in the effort necessary to be successful. I wish the kid the best and hope he can make something out of the situation he was in. At the minimum a college education would be a big deal.

 

[GatorBart]

it's not that I don't care for him but just disappointed in his development. I've always thought BD lacked a great "Big Man" coach as well as a great FT Coach.

Yep, I'm with ya on that.
With Pelphry and Grant now both back, we essentially have the same coaching staff as we had with the 04s, so maybe our big guys will start to show some development. As far as a FT coach goes, I think Billy took umbrage to a similar suggestion offered up by PatDooley and I kind of agreed with Billy. If he, a shooter himself in college, can't teach them how to shoot FTs, I don't who can. I am kind of torn because shooting FTs should be fairly easy with enough practice. My wife and I can go out to the hoop and regularly make 7 of 10 - granted we're not exhausted and we don't have fans screaming at us to miss, but if guys like K. Hill (a McDs AA at guard) can't make 50% of their FTs, then I'm just as dumbfounded as BD. I'm torn on a FT coach, but maybe it's worth a try.

 

[Scott512]

Yep, I'm with ya on that.
With Pelphry and Grant now both back, we essentially have the same coaching staff as we had with the 04s, so maybe our big guys will start to show some development. As far as a FT coach goes, I think Billy took umbrage to a similar suggestion offered up by PatDooley and I kind of agreed with Billy. If he, a shooter himself in college, can't teach them how to shoot FTs, I don't who can. I am kind of torn because shooting FTs should be fairly easy with enough practice. My wife and I can go out to the hoop and regularly make 7 of 10 - granted we're not exhausted and we don't have fans screaming at us to miss, but if guys like K. Hill (a McDs AA at guard) can't make 50% of their FTs, then I'm just as dumbfounded as BD. I'm torn on a FT coach, but maybe it's worth a try.

Billy is my favorite coach in sports but the lack of progress with the bigs for the past few years and poor free throw shooting for many years is so frustrating. I wish he brought in an NBA big to coach these kids.

 

[t-gator]

it's not that I don't care for him but just disappointed in his development. I've always thought BD lacked a great "Big Man" coach as well as a great FT Coach.

Udonis haslem, Matt Bonner, Noah, Horford, David Lee, Maurice Speights all big men in the Nba that Billy has developed. I think he's very good at developing big men, we've just struggled recruiting big men. Chris walkers problem is he didn't go to a prep school his senior year and played at the lowest level of classification in here in Florida. The result was he came in too raw.

 

[VulcanAlex]

Come on guys! How much "development" does a player need to shoot free throws? I go with the lack of grades and lack of ability to follow the game. Many great athletes can't grasp the concepts. I wish him luck but there was a reason he had to come to us, and it was not only grades.

 

[t-gator]

Missing those free throws was a complete lack of mental toughness

 

[CaribGator]

Would be nice if he stays, he definitely needs more development. If he goes, we have big men coming.

 

[NVGator]

Udonis haslem, Matt Bonner, Noah, Horford, David Lee, Maurice Speights all big men in the Nba that Billy has developed. I think he's very good at developing big men, we've just struggled recruiting big men. Chris walkers problem is he didn't go to a prep school his senior year and played at the lowest level of classification in here in Florida. The result was he came in too raw.

while all of those guys have greatly improved their game in the NBA , they slowly developed while at Florida. Horford and Noah were naturally gifted. Sleights spent 1 year and everyone was shocked he left and was drafted.

 

[bacongator]

it's not that I don't care for him but just disappointed in his development. I've always thought BD lacked a great "Big Man" coach as well as a great FT Coach.

I'm with others that question this idea that Donovan hasn't developed our bigs well enough, and the list of big men we have in the NBA is testament to his success (and many of them weren't McDonald's All-Americans). In fact, according to this article, NBA execs think Donovan prepares players for the NBA better than any other college coach, which is precisely why the NBA is coming after him again:

 

[Double Gator Dad]

I'm with others that question this idea that Donovan hasn't developed our bigs well enough, and the list of big men we have in the NBA is testament to his success (and many of them weren't McDonald's All-Americans). In fact, according to this article, NBA execs think Donovan prepares players for the NBA better than any other college coach, which is precisely why the NBA is coming after him again:

Please don't inject facts into the discussion, it leaves people speechless.

Walker possesses no basketball skills nor touch for the game. He makes up for the gap with a lack of mental focus and a poor work ethic.
Although I too would like to continue to dream about him turning it around, the reality is that he just doesn't get it.
We are bringing in 4 new bigs next year and a 6'10'' walk on. We can at least hope that they have a chance of getting better.

Good luck Chris, you will need it.

 

[MertzJay26]

I was told that he was a cancer to the team due to lack of work ethic. It would be nice if he stayed just to have another big body, but we will be fine without him

 

[t-gator]

while all of those guys have greatly improved their game in the NBA , they slowly developed while at Florida. Horford and Noah were naturally gifted. Sleights spent 1 year and everyone was shocked he left and was drafted.

How did they get to the nba. Florida has more players in the playoffs than any other program with the majority of them being bigs.

 

[Captain Sasquatch]

I'd like to see him develop more, but it's not like it'd hurt the team if he left early.

 

[Circle City Gator]

This is an interesting kid. I don't know if he's on BD's radar, yet.