Samaki Walker
Encyclopedia
Samaki Ijuma Walker is an American
professional basketball
power forward
and center
. Walker played college basketball
at the University of Louisville
and was drafted in 1996
by the Dallas Mavericks
, where he played until 1999. Walker continued to play for the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers
(2001-2003), Miami Heat
(2003-2004), Washington Wizards
(2004-2005), and Indiana Pacers
(2005-2006). Since 2006, Walker has played for various international and minor leagues.
, the youngest of seven children. He attended Eastmoor High School
and Whitehall-Yearling High School
.
was selected ninth overall by the Dallas Mavericks
in the 1996 NBA Draft
out of Louisville
. Walker became the youngest-ever Maverick to appear in a regular season game.
Walker went on to play for the Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs
, Los Angeles Lakers
, Miami Heat
, Washington Wizards
and the Indiana Pacers
from 1996-2006, having had very limited playing time in his final three years in the league
. He averaged 5.3 points and 4.7 rebound
s during his 10-year tenure, including 6.7 points per game and 7.0 rebounds in 2001-02
, as the Lakers eventually won the NBA Finals
. On February 19, 2002, Walker entered the injured list because of a hyperextended elbow. In Game 4 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals
on May 26, 2002, Walker made a 3-pointer at the end of halftime, and by then the Sacramento Kings
led over the Lakers 65-51. Although the shot counted, television replays showed Walker had released the ball after the buzzer went off. The Lakers won the game 100-99 on a buzzer-beating
3-pointer from Robert Horry
that tied the series at 2. The Lakers won the series in 7 to advance to the Finals. This shot influenced the NBA's decision to institute instant replay
for review the following season.
After the Indiana Pacers
released him in January 2006, Walker played in four games with the Russian Professional Basketball League team UNICS Kazan
, averaging 7.0 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.
In 2007, Walker joined Syria
's Al-Jalaa Aleppo
after signing with the Milwaukee Bucks
in September of that year. With Al-Jalaa, Walker won the Syrian D-1 championship in 2008.
In 2009, Walker signed with Chinese league
's Shandong Lions
.
Walker later played with the Korean Basketball League
's Seoul SK Knights
.
In January 2010, Walker was released from Korean Basketball League
's Seoul SK Knights
after averaging 14.1 points and 8.9 rebounds.
In October 2010 he signed again with Al-Jalaa Aleppo.
, "Samaki" means "fish" and "ljuma" means "beautiful river". Walker has two children: son Dabaji and daughter Sakima. After his 17-year-old nephew Deandre Hillman died from cardiac arrest
in 2001, Walker joined the non-profit organization Start-A-Heart, which provides automated external defibrillators
to schools and other public facilities. He spent the 2006-07 season forming Life Choices Foundation, a nonprofit aiming to keep youth in inner-city Los Angeles out of trouble.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
power forward
Power forward (basketball)
Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...
and center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
. Walker played college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
at the University of Louisville
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
and was drafted in 1996
1996 NBA Draft
The 1996 NBA Draft was the 50th draft in the National Basketball Association . It was held on June 26, 1996 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The draft was broadcast in the United States on the Turner Network Television...
by the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
, where he played until 1999. Walker continued to play for the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
(2001-2003), Miami Heat
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
(2003-2004), Washington Wizards
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
(2004-2005), and Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
(2005-2006). Since 2006, Walker has played for various international and minor leagues.
Early life
Walker was born in Columbus, OhioColumbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, the youngest of seven children. He attended Eastmoor High School
Eastmoor Academy (Columbus, Ohio)
Eastmoor Academy is a public high school located on the east side of Columbus, Ohio. It is part of Columbus City Schools.Eastmoor Academy was formerly known as Eastmoor High School. The school's colors are red, white and blue, and its mascot is a warrior....
and Whitehall-Yearling High School
Whitehall-Yearling High School
Whitehall-Yearling High School is a public high school located in Whitehall, Ohio, United States.-History:In 1954, Whitehall-Yearling High School admitted it first students. Work on the school was still going on while classes were in session. Classrooms were filled as they were completed...
.
Basketball career
The 6' 9" power forwardPower forward (basketball)
Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...
was selected ninth overall by the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
in the 1996 NBA Draft
1996 NBA Draft
The 1996 NBA Draft was the 50th draft in the National Basketball Association . It was held on June 26, 1996 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The draft was broadcast in the United States on the Turner Network Television...
out of Louisville
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
. Walker became the youngest-ever Maverick to appear in a regular season game.
Walker went on to play for the Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
, Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, Miami Heat
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
, Washington Wizards
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
and the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
from 1996-2006, having had very limited playing time in his final three years in the league
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. He averaged 5.3 points and 4.7 rebound
Rebound (basketball)
A rebound in basketball is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or free throw. Rebounds in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made...
s during his 10-year tenure, including 6.7 points per game and 7.0 rebounds in 2001-02
2001-02 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-Yearly awards:*Most Valuable Player: Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs*Rookie of the Year: Pau Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies*Defensive Player of the Year: Ben Wallace, Detroit Pistons...
, as the Lakers eventually won the NBA Finals
2002 NBA Finals
The 2002 NBA Finals was the National Basketball Association championship series for the 2001–02 season. The best-of-seven playoff was contested between the Los Angeles Lakers, champions of the Western Conference and two-time defending NBA champions, and the New Jersey Nets, champions of the...
. On February 19, 2002, Walker entered the injured list because of a hyperextended elbow. In Game 4 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals
2002 NBA Playoffs
The 2002 NBA Playoffs were the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2001–02 season. This would be the final postseason that held a best-of-5 first-round series; next year's postseason would see those series expanded to a best-of-7 format...
on May 26, 2002, Walker made a 3-pointer at the end of halftime, and by then the Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
led over the Lakers 65-51. Although the shot counted, television replays showed Walker had released the ball after the buzzer went off. The Lakers won the game 100-99 on a buzzer-beating
Buzzer beater
In basketball, a buzzer beater is a shot taken just before the game clock of a period expires, when the buzzer sounds. The term is normally reserved for baskets that win or tie the game, but also refers to shots that beat an end-of-quarter or halftime buzzer...
3-pointer from Robert Horry
Robert Horry
Robert Keith Horry Jr. is a retired American basketball player and current sports commentator. He played 16 seasons in the National Basketball Association , winning seven championships, the most of any player not to have played on the 1960s Boston Celtics...
that tied the series at 2. The Lakers won the series in 7 to advance to the Finals. This shot influenced the NBA's decision to institute instant replay
Instant replay
Instant replay is the replaying of video footage of an event or incident very soon after it has occurred. In television broadcasting of sports events, instant replay is often used during live broadcast, to show a passage of play which was important or remarkable, or which was unclear on first...
for review the following season.
After the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
released him in January 2006, Walker played in four games with the Russian Professional Basketball League team UNICS Kazan
UNICS Kazan
UNICS Kazan is a professional basketball club in Kazan, Russia playing in the PBL. Their home arena is Basket Hall Arena.Though officially the professional club was founded in 1991 , UNICS traces its origin back to KSU's college team Burevestnik which participated in USSR student championships...
, averaging 7.0 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.
In 2007, Walker joined Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
's Al-Jalaa Aleppo
Al-Jalaa Aleppo
Al-Jalaa Aleppo, is a Syrian Basketball club based in Aleppo. They compete in the Syrian D1 League, and have qualified for the Asian Champions Cup on two occasions-Syrian League and Cup Record:*Syrian League Runner-Up – 2004...
after signing with the Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
in September of that year. With Al-Jalaa, Walker won the Syrian D-1 championship in 2008.
In 2009, Walker signed with Chinese league
Chinese Basketball Association
The Chinese Basketball Association , often abbreviated to the CBA, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in China.The league is commonly known as the CBA, and this acronym is often used even in Chinese...
's Shandong Lions
Shandong Lions
The Shandong Kingston Lions are a basketball team in the North Division of the Chinese Basketball Association, based in Jinan, Shandong with some home games played in Linyi...
.
Walker later played with the Korean Basketball League
Korean Basketball League
The Korean Basketball League, often abbreviated to the KBL, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in South Korea. Its inaugural season was in 1997. The season starts in October and ends in April the following year. The KBL consists of 10 teams. Each team plays 54 games . Each team...
's Seoul SK Knights
Seoul SK Knights
The Seoul SK Knights is a professional basketball club in the Korean Basketball League.-Interesting facts:Bang Sung Yoon was a player in the National Basketball Developmental League .Julian Kim/Edward Kim is an American-born Korean....
.
In January 2010, Walker was released from Korean Basketball League
Korean Basketball League
The Korean Basketball League, often abbreviated to the KBL, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in South Korea. Its inaugural season was in 1997. The season starts in October and ends in April the following year. The KBL consists of 10 teams. Each team plays 54 games . Each team...
's Seoul SK Knights
Seoul SK Knights
The Seoul SK Knights is a professional basketball club in the Korean Basketball League.-Interesting facts:Bang Sung Yoon was a player in the National Basketball Developmental League .Julian Kim/Edward Kim is an American-born Korean....
after averaging 14.1 points and 8.9 rebounds.
In October 2010 he signed again with Al-Jalaa Aleppo.
Personal
In SwahiliSwahili language
Swahili or Kiswahili is a Bantu language spoken by various ethnic groups that inhabit several large stretches of the Mozambique Channel coastline from northern Kenya to northern Mozambique, including the Comoro Islands. It is also spoken by ethnic minority groups in Somalia...
, "Samaki" means "fish" and "ljuma" means "beautiful river". Walker has two children: son Dabaji and daughter Sakima. After his 17-year-old nephew Deandre Hillman died from cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest, is the cessation of normal circulation of the blood due to failure of the heart to contract effectively...
in 2001, Walker joined the non-profit organization Start-A-Heart, which provides automated external defibrillators
Automated external defibrillator
An automated external defibrillator or AED is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses the potentially life threatening cardiac arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia in a patient, and is able to treat them through defibrillation, the application of...
to schools and other public facilities. He spent the 2006-07 season forming Life Choices Foundation, a nonprofit aiming to keep youth in inner-city Los Angeles out of trouble.