Why We Like Bill Walker

(Catastrophy)


By: Greg Payne

Bill Walker played in 29 regular season games last year, accumulating a grand total of 218 minutes. He scored just 88 points. When the playoffs rolled around he totaled 11 minutes of action, resulting in only two points.

His time on the floor was scattered and inconsistent, and his role, even once Kevin Garnett went down, was that of a slight one. Sure, he played some spot minutes at the four when the team was in a pinch, but that was about it.

Yet, despite the inconsistencies and lack of opportunities, Walker won the majority of us over and we're now rooting for him to develop into a steady role player who Doc Rivers can call upon to help sure up a much improved second unit. But, with so little playing time under his belt, what is it exactly that we like about Bill Walker?

We've only seen flashes, like the stray lightning bolts in the distant skies that indicate a severe storm could be on the way. Could is a funny word. It doesn't scream certainty, but it exudes possibility. Bill Walker could be a future star. He certainly has the athleticism for it, as his eye popping dunks were what hooked us on his game in the first place. But as for his other skills, we have yet to see them fully on display.

Perhaps the cloud of uncertainty over his jump shot and his free throws and his dribbling actually keeps us better entertained. We're not truly sure the extent of Walker's game, but there's hope and that's ultimately what we're looking for once this 'championship window' closes for good. While Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins and Glen Davis will most likely still be in the picture, Walker could be something of an X-Factor: that slashing wing player every team would love to have and someone who steadily reminds us somewhat of Paul Pierce. We could relish in the fact that, even if there is a considerable drop off in wins for a year or two while we rebuild, we'll have the privilege of watching Walker work the court night in and night out.

What about right now, though? Forgetting about the future, let's think about this upcoming season. We think of Rondo and Perk and Davis as veterans at this point, leaving Walker as the primary young talent on an aging team. While our main goal is winning each and every game, we would love to somehow mold Walker's development into that same process.

Walker's competitiveness is another cardinal asset of his game that we've come to covet. When video was released of him attempting to stare down Kevin Garnett, or, last preseason when he had respective rifts with LeBron James and Tracy McGrady, we weren't thinking, 'Here's a rookie who doesn't know his place'. Rather, we were enamored at the fact that here was a young player not willing to back down from anyone. What's more is that whenever he was skying over the rim and slamming it home, it appeared as if he could back up such a sincere sense of confidence.

And then there's Walker's personality off the court. While some NBA players make the headlines for all the wrong reasons (the shootings, the club fights, the appalling incidents with women, etc.), here was Walker, gracing the newspaper nearly every other week with heartwarming stories of community service projects and meaningful work with underprivileged children. Despite his job not even being entirely secure, Walker relished in his role as a professional athlete to whom many children and teenagers could look up to. It's even more compelling hearing Walker say things like this:

"If you want something, you're going to have to go through hell to get it," Walker said. "It's going to be tough. Stuff happens and you have to adapt, and that's what I plan on doing. No matter what's thrown at me, I'm going to make the best out of the situation and surprise a lot of people."

And this:

"I don't worry about that. That's a part of the business. That's the beast side of the business. All I can control is that I'm going to work out every day and take every day for what it's worth. If I'm here, I'm here. If I'm not, oh well, but I still want to be who I am at the end of the day."

It's safe to assume that he's been working as hard on the court this offseason as he's been working off of it. Various reports have noted how Walker's been working out in Waltham nearly the entire summer and we're eager to see the progress he has made. How's that jump shot looking? Can he utilize his athleticism to rise up over defenders and shoot consistently, the way the Pierces, Wades and Kobes do? As excited as we were over the loud finishes at the rim he captivated us with, I explicitly remember when the Celtics played the Memphis Grizzlies in Memphis last season in which Walker threw down a ferocious tomahawk dunk on the right hand side and attempted a couple of jump shots as well.

After the game, fans were buzzing about the dunk, but a large portion was also saying how, as much as they appreciated his dunking ability, a consistent jump shot to compliment that athleticism would be a more ideal scenario.

Some considered Summer League an ideal chance for Walker to showcase his game, and he averaged a respectable 11.75 points per game over four contests, as the Celtics limped to a 2-3 overall record.

Those who failed to take an interest in Summer League might also not appreciate the coming preseason, especially with such a veteran laden team. But with Walker in the mix and many fans supporting the idea of him helping back up Pierce this season, we could realistically be seeing much of Walker over the course of the eight game stretch leading up to the season opener in Cleveland on October 27. While reports on Walker's status will likely surface throughout training camp, the eight-game preseason stretch will most likely be our best opportunity to gauge Walker's progress with our own eyes with the hopes that we'll be watching a player with a more well-rounded overall game.

There's certainly much to love when it comes to Bill Walker. We're all pulling for him and I'm confident in saying that if given an opportunity, he'll be sure to take advantage of it.