Walker weighs in on summer plans

[kevin <kevin.lok@lycosmail.com>]

http://www.bostonherald.com/sport/basketball/cs04172000.htm
Walker weighs in on summer plans
by Steve Bulpett
Monday, April 17, 2000
Rick Pitino was talking about Antoine Walker the other day. Told that 'Toine was
planning to add a better 15-foot jumper this summer, the coach smiled.
``I'm glad he didn't say weight,'' joked Pitino.
He and Walker had pretty much agreed this season not to discuss the conditioning
issue publicly. But the Celtic captain raised it willingly when talking about
the all-too-soon arrival of the offseason.
After watching Walker struggle on defense and fail to explode at the end of
drives, it became very evident this season that he must make a stop at the body
shop if he is to reach his potential.
While Walker again will be based for the summer in the city of big shoulders, he
intends to return to Boston with a slimmer torso.
``I'm going to be back at home in Chicago,'' he said, ``but I'm going to be
working on the plan that the Celtics feel is necessary for me to take my game to
the next level and help this team get to where we need to get.
``My whole thing is that I'm going to get with coach (Shaun) Brown and try to
get a program that fits what we need and go with that,'' added Walker, referring
to the Celts strength and conditioning director. ``I don't want to pinpoint a
certain weight or certain way I want to be. I think if I'm in great shape coming
into the season, that's going to enable me to play any position on the court.
``Obviously you're going to have to be strong to guard the fours and quick to
guard the threes, but you're going to have to be strong and quick for all of
them. It's not one or the other. I don't want to just focus in on one thing. I
just want to get on the program with coach Brown and stick with it.''
Walker came into this season wanting to see more time at small forward. With
proven rebounder Danny Fortson on board to play a good deal at the four spot,
the move seemed logical. But even after Fortson came back from a right foot
stress fracture, the maneuvering was scuttled by Walker's defensive issues with
quicker opponents.
``I would rather him be thin and quick than bulky,'' Pitino said. ``Antoine's
very smart. He'll know what the guy with the ball's going to do, but he needs
his body to match his intelligence. So if he wants to play three, he'd really
have to trim down. I think it would benefit us to be able to play him at
three.''
It's clear that Pitino and Walker have achieved a meeting of the minds on this
subject.
``I have to get comfortable with that position and be able to do all things I
need to do to play it,'' Walker said. ``When I'm playing as a four man, you get
used to guys just posting up with their back to the basket. Then if you have to
guard somebody on the perimeter who's cutting and moving, you've got to be ready
for that.
``What I'm going to try to do this summer is guard some quicker guys when I'm
playing pickup ball. I'm going to chase some smaller guys around screens and try
to get used to playing that kind of defense.''
At the other end of the floor, there is the aforementioned jumper.
``Basically I know I have to get a consistent 15-foot jump shot to where it
makes the defense more honest,'' Walker said. ``I'm not saying I can't shoot it
now, but it's about building confidence and getting to that point where it's
there consistently.''
Added Pitino: ``He's right, the 15-foot jump shot's very important to him
because guys can't guard him off the dribble, so they've got to back off. That's
a part of his game he has to add. He's always open from 15 feet.''
More importantly in the long run for the Celtics, Walker now sounds open to
suggestion in regard to his body.