Walker featured in Globe

[Mike Dynon <mdynon@ix.netcom.com>]

Today's article is very interesting, and will no doubt provide
ammunition for both the Antoine bashers and defenders on this list.


Walking the walk 

Actions and numbers speak louder than talk for this Celtic

By Michael Holley, Globe Staff, 03/31/98 

MIAMI - The noon sun is in Antoine Walker's eyes, so he squints as he
considers the question. The brim from his baseball cap could shield
the rays, but it is turned backward on his head. He doesn't care about
that.

He has a few subjects on his mind: The state of the Celtics, his game,
and food. 

Right now, the food comes first. 

''How do you get to the Cheesecake Factory?'' he asks. He is given
directions. Soon a cab will be here to take him to a trendy place known
as the Coco Walk. 

Now, back to that original question. 

No, he replies, he doesn't listen to much talk radio in Boston. So, no,
he hadn't heard about the caller who insisted that the Celtics forward
doesn't have a ''butter'' move. You know, no sweet move that is so
distinctly Walker that you could identify it and him even if you were
watching only a silhouette.

''That must be somebody who doesn't watch a lot of the games,'' Walker
said, smiling. ''Every great player has to have a go-to move when they
get in trouble. Hakeem Olajuwon told me that last year. But people who
only see a few games have to realize that great players aren't going to
have it every night.''

Later Walker will look at Stephon Marbury's name in a box score. ''He
only had 2 points,'' Walker will say, ''but he had 10 assists. And his
team won. I like players like that.''

Walker is not shy about mentioning himself in the same sentence as great
players such as Olajuwon. He will tell you that he isn't there yet. But
the day is coming fast, faster than most people who watch him daily
might expect. It seems as if there is always some poking at the
perceived flaws in Walker's game. No butter move. Poor free throw
shooting. Poor shot selection. Poor treatment of officials. Too much
early Dominique Wilkins in his game. 

But then you look at the numbers. 

You find that Larry Bird was 24 when he won his first title and 27 when
he first averaged at least 24 points per game. You find that Tom
Heinsohn shot 39 percent from the field in his first two pro seasons and
was 25 before he ever averaged 20 points per game. You see that John
Havlicek was a 73 percent free throw shooter his first two seasons,
averaged 20 points his fifth season and, when he was 29, became a
terrific 500-assist man. And while Walker never will have as many
rebounds in a season as Bill Russell had in his second year (1,564), his
two-season scoring and shooting percentages are comparable with those of
the greatest center in franchise history. 

Stir those numbers around and remember this: Walker is 21. He will
finish this season averaging more than 21 points and 10 rebounds. He
will be second- or third-team All-NBA. He is the youngest All-Star in
team history.  He never has missed a game in his 153-game career. And if
he had stayed the course at the University of Kentucky, he would have
been in San Antonio last night, playing in the NCAA championship game. 

''When I was growing up, I just thought of being in the NBA,'' he said.
''I thought I'd make $2 million or $3 million. I still can't believe it
when people start talking about me getting $14 million, $15 million, $20
million a year.''

He'll get one of those numbers this summer from the Celtics, unless
something strange happens. 

''I want people to understand that I want to stay in Boston,'' he said.
''I love playing here. But once April 18 hits, the business side takes
over. I think Coach Pitino and Paul Gaston understand that they'll have
to pay market value. I'm not saying I want to play somewhere else, but
I'm comfortable doing that if it comes to that.''

You can tell it is not natural for him to speak that way. He is a
Celtic. 

''I don't think we need to go out this summer and pick up five new
guys,'' he said. ''I don't think that would be a positive for us at all.
We need a dominant big man and one more player. The big man will change
all of our games. 

''Look at Miami [tonight's opponent]. I don't think you could say their
guys are classic defensive players. But they've got Alonzo [Mourning],
who is a great shot blocker. And they've got P.J. Brown.''

Ah, the Heat. They also have a reserve named Mark Strickland. He had 23
points against the Celtics last week. Afterward, he stood in the line of
critics and also poked at those perceived flaws of Walker's. He made a
point of mentioning that Heat assistant Stan Van Gundy told him Walker
doesn't get back on defense consistently. 

''Well, I don't know how much he got back either because I remember
having 29,'' Walker said. ''See, I don't respect guys like that. He's a
12th man talking trash. He barely even shows up on the scouting report.
I'm not even going to get into anything with him. I don't respect him.''

He tells you that he respects guys like Grant Hill, Michael Jordan, and
Kevin Garnett. Fierce competitors who are also team-minded. He's like
that, too. You understand that when a man approaches him with a pen. 

''Can I have your autograph?'' he says. 

The man reaches for a napkin. Walker signs it, ''Antoine Walker #8.''
Then he adds another line, ''Boston Celtics.''

This story ran on page E03 of the Boston Globe on 03/31/98. 
© Copyright 1998 Globe Newspaper Company.