Basketball
An Associated Press, Consensus, and UPI second-team All-American for basketball coach Eddie Sutton in 1983, Darrell Walker was also first-team All-Southwest Conference and named to the NABC All-District team. A letterman in 1981, ‘82 and ‘83, he played on teams going 24-8 with a SWC title and a trip to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 in ‘81, 23-6 with another SWC title and NCAA Tournament bid in ’82, and 26-4 with another trip to the Sweet 16 in ‘83. Those teams ended the season ranked No. 20 in 1981, No. 12 in ’82, and No. 9 in ‘83. Walker averaged 11.3 points and 4.5 rebounds in 1981, 14.8 points and 5.2 rebounds in 1983, and 18.2 points and 5.7 rebounds in 1983. The SWC Defensive Player of the Year (‘82, ‘83) and SWC Player of the Year (‘83), Walker is 18th on Arkansas’ career scoring list with 1,325 points and led the team in scoring in ‘83. Walker is also fourth with 230 career steals, ninth with 333 free throws made and, ninth with 302 assists. He was a first-round NBA Draft pick, the 12th overall selection, of the New York Knicks in 1983. Walker played 10 years in the NBA with the Knicks, Denver, Washington, Detroit, and Chicago, and he won an NBA championship with the Bulls in 1993. Currently the head coach at Clark Atlanta University, he has also coached in the NBA, WNBA, and CBA. Walker was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2003 and the University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor in 2008.
