Bill Walker Interview (Merged)

[Vermont Green]

Two things struck me

DraftExpress: How likely is it that you return to K-State next year?

Bill Walker: It just depends. If I don’t like where I’m projected to go before the draft, I’ll definitely go back to school. I have no problem going back to K-State.

DraftExpress: So you’re definitely keeping that option open?

Bill Walker: Yeah, that’s why I’m not hiring any type of agent. I’m just taking my time, focusing on basketball, and if it doesn’t pan out I’ll just go back to K-State.

DraftExpress: Is there a cut off point in your mind? Top 20? First round? Fully guaranteed contract in the second round?

Bill Walker: It’d probably be first round. If I can’t get in the first round then obviously I’ll go back to school.

Can he still go back to college as a second round pick?  I don't think so.

DraftExpress: Favorite basketball player?

Bill Walker: That’s tough. I like LeBron [James] and [Paul] Pierce right now.

DraftExpress: Pretty good match up in game seven huh?

Bill Walker: That was a beautiful game. That’s what I’ve been waiting for during the playoffs, something like that.

DraftExpress: Have you been watching a lot of the playoffs?

Bill Walker: Yeah. I’ve been watching Paul Pierce and LeBron real close because I plan on taking some of their moves and putting them into my game. I can see where I could fit into a system like they play in.

PP is one of his two favorite players.  He has picked two great guys to emulate.

It is tough to imagine him as a draftee 2 years ago coming out of High School.

[cdif911]

Two things struck me

DraftExpress: How likely is it that you return to K-State next year?

Bill Walker: It just depends. If I don’t like where I’m projected to go before the draft, I’ll definitely go back to school. I have no problem going back to K-State.

DraftExpress: So you’re definitely keeping that option open?

Bill Walker: Yeah, that’s why I’m not hiring any type of agent. I’m just taking my time, focusing on basketball, and if it doesn’t pan out I’ll just go back to K-State.

DraftExpress: Is there a cut off point in your mind? Top 20? First round? Fully guaranteed contract in the second round?

Bill Walker: It’d probably be first round. If I can’t get in the first round then obviously I’ll go back to school.

Can he still go back to college as a second round pick?  I don't think so.

DraftExpress: Favorite basketball player?

Bill Walker: That’s tough. I like LeBron [James] and [Paul] Pierce right now.

DraftExpress: Pretty good match up in game seven huh?

Bill Walker: That was a beautiful game. That’s what I’ve been waiting for during the playoffs, something like that.

DraftExpress: Have you been watching a lot of the playoffs?

Bill Walker: Yeah. I’ve been watching Paul Pierce and LeBron real close because I plan on taking some of their moves and putting them into my game. I can see where I could fit into a system like they play in.

PP is one of his two favorite players.  He has picked two great guys to emulate.

It is tough to imagine him as a draftee 2 years ago coming out of High School.

Nice find, I think he could end up being a Stephen Jackson type player without the crazy

[rondohondo]

Two things struck me

DraftExpress: How likely is it that you return to K-State next year?

Bill Walker: It just depends. If I don’t like where I’m projected to go before the draft, I’ll definitely go back to school. I have no problem going back to K-State.

DraftExpress: So you’re definitely keeping that option open?

Bill Walker: Yeah, that’s why I’m not hiring any type of agent. I’m just taking my time, focusing on basketball, and if it doesn’t pan out I’ll just go back to K-State.

DraftExpress: Is there a cut off point in your mind? Top 20? First round? Fully guaranteed contract in the second round?

Bill Walker: It’d probably be first round. If I can’t get in the first round then obviously I’ll go back to school.

Can he still go back to college as a second round pick?  I don't think so.

DraftExpress: Favorite basketball player?

Bill Walker: That’s tough. I like LeBron [James] and [Paul] Pierce right now.

DraftExpress: Pretty good match up in game seven huh?

Bill Walker: That was a beautiful game. That’s what I’ve been waiting for during the playoffs, something like that.

DraftExpress: Have you been watching a lot of the playoffs?

Bill Walker: Yeah. I’ve been watching Paul Pierce and LeBron real close because I plan on taking some of their moves and putting them into my game. I can see where I could fit into a system like they play in.

PP is one of his two favorite players.  He has picked two great guys to emulate.

It is tough to imagine him as a draftee 2 years ago coming out of High School.

Nice find, I think he could end up being a Stephen Jackson type player without the crazy

I agree I think he could be a more athletic Bonzi Wells

[Roy Hobbs]

Two things struck me

DraftExpress: How likely is it that you return to K-State next year?

Bill Walker: It just depends. If I don’t like where I’m projected to go before the draft, I’ll definitely go back to school. I have no problem going back to K-State.

DraftExpress: So you’re definitely keeping that option open?

Bill Walker: Yeah, that’s why I’m not hiring any type of agent. I’m just taking my time, focusing on basketball, and if it doesn’t pan out I’ll just go back to K-State.

DraftExpress: Is there a cut off point in your mind? Top 20? First round? Fully guaranteed contract in the second round?

Bill Walker: It’d probably be first round. If I can’t get in the first round then obviously I’ll go back to school.

Can he still go back to college as a second round pick?  I don't think so.

No. There's a certain deadline to pull your name out of the draft, and Walker did not do so.  Once you decide to partake in the draft, you can't pull just because you don't like your draft position.

Here's how it works for Walker:

• If the player is already under contract to, or signs a contract with a non-NBA team, the team retains the player's draft rights for one year after the player's obligation to the non-NBA team ends.  Essentially, the clock stops as long as the player plays pro ball outside the NBA.  Players are not included in the team's team salary while the player is under contract with a non-NBA team.
• If the player was still eligible to play in college before he was drafted, the team retains the player's draft rights until the draft the player would have entered had he not left college early.  For example, if a team drafts a college sophomore in 2005, they retain his draft rights until the date of the 2007 draft.  Note that the current NCAA rules state that players lose their NCAA eligibility if they are drafted, so the player could not return or go on to play college ball.

[indeedproceed]

*I'd like to preface this by saying this in no way affects my opinion of Walker. I still think he's a smart mature kid that'll get a good teammate and a hell of a player.*

Wow...I read this pre-draft interview from Bill Walker on Draft Express

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Bill-Walker-%22I-don-t-think-my-game-was-built-for-college%22-2894/

I mean come on man. Im as hyped as anyone we got Walker, I've been saying it all season. But I mean come on. There is no way he really thinks all of these things. He says he never hired an agent but there is some serious pro-bono stuff goin on behind the scenes.

DraftExpress: Tell me about some of your basketball goals. Not just for your rookie season, but your career in general.

Bill Walker: The main one is to win a championship; there’s no better feeling that being on a championship team, so that would definitely be first. I guess just being a consistently good player, getting better every year. If I do that, I’m pretty sure I’ll get a ring.

DraftExpress: What about on a personal level outside of basketball. Is there anything you would like to accomplish as a human being?

Bill Walker: I plan on setting up some businesses, getting into real estate, helping some underprivileged families get homes. I want to be a force in my community in a positive way.

DraftExpress: What are some of the things you enjoy most about playing basketball?

Bill Walker: I love competition; it brings out the best in people.

DraftExpress: What are some of the things you dislike about playing basketball?

Bill Walker: I don’t know. I love the game; I don’t really see any imperfections with it.

DraftExpress: Is there any of the peripheral stuff you have to deal with on a regular basis, that maybe you don’t dislike it, but it’s a nuisance?

Bill Walker: No. I mean, you want to be good at this game; you have to accept the other things that come with it. So I don’t think any of that other stuff is really a nuisance unless you let it be one.

*gag*...Come on 

This is a kid that wants to play basketball on a professional level in the worst way. Why else would he bother to rehearse the answers to all of these questions five hours a day?