Westark College men’s basketball coach Gayle Kaundart sure had an eye for talent, and that was obvious when he recruited and ultimately signed Darrell Walker out of Chicago’s Corliss High School in 1979.
Walker, a 6-foot-4 guard, played only one season for Westark, which was then a junior college program, but led the Lions to a 32-5 record, their sixth consecutive Arkansas Junior College Conference championship, their fourth consecutive NJCAA Region II championship, and a berth in the national tournament.
The Lions, who began the season 26-0, finished 13-1 in Arkansas Junior College Conference play and 15-1 in Bi-State Conference play. During his one season with the Lions, Walker averaged 16.9 points and seven rebounds per game, and shot 54 percent from the field and 66 percent from the free-throw line.
Walker went on to play three seasons at the University of Arkansas, where he averaged 14.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, and shot 52 percent from the field and 64 percent from the free-throw line.
It was the beginning of a legendary career for Walker, who was drafted by the New York Knicks with the 12th overall pick in the first round of the 1983 NBA Draft. Walker was the second former Westark/UA Fort Smith men’s basketball player to play at the game’s highest level.
During his 10-year playing career in the NBA, Walker played for five teams – the Knicks, the Denver Nuggets, the Washington Bullets, the Detroit Pistons and the Chicago Bulls.
He was selected to the
1984 NBA All-Rookie team and was among the league leaders during his career in assists and steals. His best season was in
1989-90 with the Washington Bullets, when he averaged 9.5 points, 8.8 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game.
Walker averaged 8.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists and two steals per game for his pro career and made five playoff appearances, winning an NBA championship with Chicago during his final season.
Walker, who also is a member of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, went on to become head coach of the NBA’s Toronto Raptors and the Washington Wizards and later an assistant coach with the Detroit Pistons.
