Al Walker

Last updated

Al Walker
Biographical details
Born (1959-03-19) March 19, 1959 (age 65)
Queens, New York, U.S.
Playing career
1978–1981 Brockport
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1988–1993 Colorado College
1993–1996 Cornell
1996–2000 Chaminade
2000–2007 Binghamton
2012–2013 Buffalo (assistant, women's)
Head coaching record
Overall234–279
Medal record
Maccabiah Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1981 Israel Men's basketball

Al Walker (born March 19, 1959) is an American former basketball coach. He currently is a pro personnel scout for the Detroit Pistons of the NBA, a position he'd held since 2015. [1] [2] He played college basketball for the Brockport Golden Eagles, won a gold medal with Team USA in the 1981 Maccabiah Games in Israel, and played one year of pro basketball in Israel. He served as the head coach for the Colorado College, Cornell University, Chaminade University of Honolulu and Binghamton University men's basketball teams.

Contents

Biography

Playing career

Walker played college basketball from 1978 to 1981 for the Brockport Golden Eagles. [3] He earned honorable mention on the Small College All-American team. [4] At Brockport, in 2012 he ranked fifth all-time in rebounds (706; 2nd at the time of his graduation) and 20th in scoring (856), while playing only three seasons. [5]

He graduated magna cum laude with a BS in physical education from Brockport State College in 1981, and earned a masters in sports psychology from UNC-Chapel Hill. [3] [6]

Walker is Jewish, and played basketball for Team USA in the 1981 Maccabiah Games in Israel, winning a gold medal with David Blatt, Danny Schayes (the first round draft pick of the NBA's Utah Jazz), and Willie Sims. [3] [7] [8] In 1982 he then played one year of pro basketball in Israel. [4]

Coaching career

Walker served as the head coach for the Colorado College, Cornell, Chaminade and Binghamton men's basketball teams. [9] Walker was also an advance scout for the Orlando Magic for five seasons until 2012, and an assistant for the University of Buffalo women's basketball team from 2012 to 2013. [10] [11] From 2013 to 2015, he returned to Colorado College where he worked in the Major Gifts office. [12]

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
SeasonTeamOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Colorado College Tigers ()(1988–1993)
1988–89Colorado College 7–19
1989–90Colorado College 13–12
1990–91Colorado College 10–16
1991–92Colorado College 22–5 NCAA Division III Second Round
1992–93Colorado College 17–8
Colorado College:69–60
Cornell Big Red (Ivy League)(1993–1996)
1993–94 Cornell 8–183–118th
1994–95 Cornell 9–174–106th
1995–96 Cornell 10–165–95th
Cornell:27–5112–30
Chaminade Silverswords (Pacific West Conference)(1996–2000)
1996–97Chaminade 8–194–85th
1997–98Chaminade 12–146–64th
1998–99Chaminade 13–147–73rd
1999–00Chaminade 13–137–75th
Chaminade:46–6024–28
Binghamton Bearcats (Independent)(2000–2001)
2000–01Binghamton 14–14
Binghamton Bearcats (America East Conference)(2001–2007)
2001–02 Binghamton 9–196–106th
2002–03 Binghamton 14–139–74th
2003–04 Binghamton 14–1610–85th
2004–05 Binghamton 12–178–105th
2005–06 Binghamton 16–1312–42nd
2006–07 Binghamton 13–166–106th
Binghamton:92–10851–49
Total:234–279

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dolph Schayes</span> American basketball player and coach (1928–2015)

Adolph Schayes was an American professional basketball player and coach in the National Basketball Association (NBA). A top scorer and rebounder, he was a 12-time NBA All-Star and a 12-time All-NBA selection. Schayes won an NBA championship with the Syracuse Nationals in 1955. He was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, and was also named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1973.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chauncey Billups</span> American basketball player and coach (born 1976)

Chauncey Ray Billups is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). After playing college basketball with the Colorado Buffaloes, he was selected third overall in the 1997 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics. Billups spent the majority of his 17-year basketball career playing for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA), where he won the NBA Finals MVP in 2004 after helping the Pistons beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals. He was given the nickname "Mr. Big Shot" for making late-game shots with Detroit. A five-time NBA All-Star, a three-time All-NBA selection and two-time NBA All-Defensive selection, Billups also played for the Celtics, Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, and Los Angeles Clippers during his NBA career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Lanier</span> American basketball player (1948–2022)

Robert Jerry Lanier Jr. was an American professional basketball player. He played center for the Detroit Pistons and the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Lanier was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob McAdoo</span> American basketball player (born 1951)

Robert Allen McAdoo Jr. is an American former professional basketball player and coach. He played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA), where he was a five-time NBA All-Star and named the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 1975. He won two NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers during their Showtime era in the 1980s. In 2000, McAdoo was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. He was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al Cervi</span> American basketball player and coach (1917–2009)

Alfred Nicholas Cervi was an American professional basketball player and coach in the National Basketball League (NBL) and National Basketball Association (NBA). One of the strongest backcourt players of the 1940s and 1950s, he was always assigned to defend against the opposing team's best scoring threat. He earned the nickname "Digger" because of his hard-nosed style of defense. He added coaching to his duties in 1948 before retiring as a player in 1953. As a coach, he went to the NBA Finals three times, winning once.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stan Van Gundy</span> American basketball coach and analyst

Stanley Alan Van Gundy is an American former basketball coach who is a television commentator for NBA on TNT and College Basketball on CBS. Prior to TNT, he was most recently the head coach for the New Orleans Pelicans of the NBA. He also served as the head coach and president of basketball operations for the Detroit Pistons from 2014 to 2018. From 2003 to 2005, he was the head coach of the Miami Heat but resigned in 2005 mid-season, returning the job over to Pat Riley. Van Gundy then coached the Orlando Magic for five seasons from 2007 to 2012, leading them to the 2009 NBA Finals. He is the older brother of former New York Knicks and Houston Rockets head coach Jeff Van Gundy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danny Schayes</span> American professional basketball player

Daniel Leslie Schayes is an American former professional basketball player who played for Syracuse University and played 18 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA), from 1981 until 1999. At 6' 11" and 235 pounds, he played at center. He is the son of the late Dolph Schayes, who was selected for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Since his retirement from the NBA, Schayes has served as co-host of Centers of Attention, a sports talk show on ESPN Radio Syracuse in Syracuse, New York. His co-host is Etan Thomas, also a retired American professional basketball player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maui Invitational</span> Early season college basketball tournament

The Maui Invitational, currently sponsored as the Allstate Maui Invitational, is an annual early-season college basketball tournament that takes place Thanksgiving week, normally in Lahaina, Hawaii, at the Lahaina Civic Center on the island of Maui. It is hosted by Chaminade University of Honolulu, an NCAA Division II school. Seven NCAA Division I men's basketball teams are invited to Maui to complete the field. The Maui Invitational has been played since 1984 and is carried by ESPN. Camping World became the title sponsor for the 2020 Tournament only. Maui Jim became the title sponsor of the tournament in 2015 and returned as title sponsor in 2021 and 2022; the previous fourteen tournaments were sponsored by EA Sports. The Maui Invitational and Allstate announced a new title partnership starting for the 2023 tournament, which was held in Oʻahu because of the Maui wildfires.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Kauffman</span> American basketball player and coach

Robert Kauffman was an American professional basketball player and coach. Kaufmann was a three-time NBA All-Star.

The 1967 NBA draft was the 21st annual draft of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The draft was held on May 3 and 4, 1967 before the 1967–68 season. In this draft, 12 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players. A player who had finished his four-year college eligibility was eligible for selection. If a player left college early, he would not be eligible for selection until his college class graduated. The first two picks in the draft belonged to the teams that finished last in each division, with the order determined by a coin flip. The Detroit Pistons won the coin flip and were awarded the first overall pick, while the Baltimore Bullets were awarded the second pick. The remaining first-round picks and the subsequent rounds were assigned to teams in reverse order of their win–loss record in the previous season. Five teams that had the best records in previous season were not awarded second round draft picks. Two expansion franchises, the Seattle SuperSonics and the San Diego Rockets, took part in the NBA Draft for the first time and were assigned the sixth and seventh pick in the first round, along with the last two picks of each subsequent round. The draft consisted of 20 rounds comprising 162 players selected.

The 1962 NBA draft was the 16th annual draft of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The draft was held on March 26, 1962, before the 1962–63 season. In this draft, nine NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players. A player who had finished his four-year college eligibility was eligible for selection. If a player left college early, he would not be eligible for selection until his college class graduated. In each round, the teams selected in reverse order of their won–loss record in the previous season. Before the draft, a team could forfeit its first-round draft pick, then select any player from within a 50-mile radius of its home arena as their territorial pick. The Chicago Packers, who finished last in the previous season, were renamed the Chicago Zephyrs. The Philadelphia Warriors relocated to San Francisco and became the San Francisco Warriors prior to the start of the season. The draft consisted of 16 rounds, comprising 102 players selected.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Blatt</span> Israeli-American basketball player and coach (born 1959)

David Michael Blatt, is an Israeli-American professional basketball executive. He is also a former coach and player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M. L. Carr</span> American basketball player and coach (born 1951)

Michael Leon Carr is an American former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and American Basketball Association (ABA), and former head coach and General Manager of the Boston Celtics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1977 Maccabiah Games</span>

At the 10th Maccabiah Games in Israel, more than 2,800 athletes from 34 countries participated in 26 different sports, including chess and bridge and for the first time badminton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1981 Maccabiah Games</span> 11th Edition of Maccabiah Games

The 11th Maccabiah Games brought 3,450 athletes to Israel from 35 nations. The Opening Ceremony was held on July 7, 1981, before a crowd of 53,000 and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin in Ramat Gan Stadium, with 3,500 Jewish athletes parading past him. Representative Jack Kemp and a supporter of Israel, marched with the United States team. Israel won the most medals (199), with 65 gold. The United States won 188 medals, 85 gold. South Africa, Britain, and Canada had the next-most total medals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willie Sims (basketball)</span> American-Israeli basketball player (1958–2022)

Willie Sims was an American-Israeli professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the LSU Tigers and professionally for a number of Israeli Basketball Premier League clubs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chaminade Silverswords</span> Intercollegiate sports teams of Chaminade University of Honolulu

The Chaminade Silverswords are the 12 varsity athletic teams that represent Chaminade University of Honolulu, located in Honolulu, Hawaii, in NCAA Division II intercollegiate sports. The Silverswords compete as members of the Pacific West Conference in all sponsored sports except beach volleyball, in which they are independent. Chaminade University of Honolulu's team name is the "Silverswords," a reference to a Hawaiian plant prized for its beauty and ability to withstand harsh conditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brockport Golden Eagles</span> Athletic teams representing SUNY Brockport

The Brockport Golden Eagles are composed of 23 teams representing The College at Brockport, State University of New York in intercollegiate athletics, including men and women's basketball, cross country, lacrosse, soccer, swimming & diving, and track and field. Men's sports include baseball, football, ice hockey, and wrestling. Women's sports include field hockey, gymnastics, volleyball, tennis, and softball. The Golden Eagles compete in the NCAA Division III and are members of the State University of New York Athletic Conference for most sports, except for the football team, which competes in the Empire 8 Conference.

Howard Alan Lassoff was an American-Israeli basketball player. He also played in Israel for 14 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jabari Walker</span> American basketball player (born 2002)

Jabari Dominic Walker is an American professional basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is the son of Samaki Walker. He played college basketball for the Colorado Buffaloes. He was named first-team All-Pac-12 as a sophomore with Colorado.

References

  1. Detroit Pistons LeadershipNBA Archived December 26, 2018, at the Wayback Machine
  2. "George David resigns, Pistons hire Al Walker and Art Luptowski". July 1, 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 Blaustein, Esther (July 5, 1981). "Sports; COACH SET FOR ISRAELI GAMES". The New York Times.
  4. 1 2 "Honolulu Star-Bulletin Sports". starbulletin.com.
  5. "Al Walker Named To Women's Basketball Coaching Staff". July 19, 2012 via buffalo.prestosports.com.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  6. "2006-07 Cornell Men's Basketball Media Guide by Jeremy Hartigan". issuu.com.
  7. Goldaper, Sam (June 23, 1981). "Basketball Talent On Stage at Xavier; Xavier Provides a Basketball Showcase". The New York Times.
  8. "Danny Schayes Appointed As A Member of the Basketball Staff For The 2018 International Maccabi Youth Games".
  9. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 11, 2011. Retrieved June 22, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. "2010-11 Orlando Magic Media Guide". Archived from the original on October 17, 2012. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
  11. "Al Walker Named To Women's Basketball Coaching Staff". Buffalo. July 19, 2012. Archived from the original on March 14, 2014. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  12. "New Employees Archive • Human Resources Colorado College". www.coloradocollege.edu. Archived from the original on May 2, 2019. Retrieved May 2, 2019.