Miami freshman Lonnie Walker is known for two things. He has really cool looking hair and he is a phenomenal basketball player. The guard spent one year at Miami and will likely be drafted mid to late lottery in the 2018 NBA Draft. Several teams could use the talented shooting guard on their roster, but only one team will be that lucky.
Today still feels like a dream. Never thought I would be in this environment at this time. ????
— Lonnie Walker IV (@lonniewalker_4) May 15, 2018
Size and Length
Lonnie Walker is a prototype two guard and was born to play in the NBA. Standing at around six foot four inches and weighing in at around 200 pounds the Miami guard is the perfect size to play on the wing in the NBA. While his height and size are very impressive it doesn’t even begin to describe how impressive his wingspan is. Walker has a wingspan of six foot and ten inches which makes him a dangerous weapon on offense and on defense. Walker’s size and length is baffling for a guard and should keep him in the NBA for years when paired with his talent.
Versatility
Lonnie Walker is special on the court. His offensive and defensive abilities are simply unparalleled for his position. He only played one year at Miami, but he showed the ability to score from literally anywhere on the court. Walker has the potential to score with the best of the two guards in the NBA and does exceptionally well when the ball is in his hands. There are a lot of great offensive minded guards in the NBA, but few if any posses the abilities on defense that Lonnie Walker does. Walker is super aggressive on both sides of the ball and is ready to let the NBA know it.
Value and Impact
Almost every team in the NBA could use a guy like Lonnie Walker on their roster. The guard from Miami despite not being projected to go in the top ten could end up being one of the best guys in this draft class. Walker is going to be a steal for the team that decides to draft him. Walker is also not afraid of the big moment and he proved it back in high school and with the Maimi Hurricanes. NBA fans will be in awe of Walker when he hits the NBA and the awe will last for years.
Weaknesses
Lonnie Walker has a lot of talents and skill, but he has a few things he will need to work on when he gets to the NBA. The chief among them being his ability to score off the ball. His spot-up jump shot is not as impressive as his shot off the dribble and when he slashes to the rim. Walker is going to have to learn how to play off the ball more when he reaches the NBA, but with some time he should fit in the role really well. The Hurricanes prospect needs to learn to probe the defensive more instead of settling for jump shots mostly because of how good he is at slashing. Walker doesn’t really have any weaknesses that will majorly hamper him at the top level of basketball.
Lonnie Walker NBA Comparison
O.J. Mayo with elite defense
Walker is hard to compare because he is a unique talent and “three and D” guys this special are rare. Mayo and Walker play very similarly on the offensive side of the ball and all the hype that Mayo was supposed to reach could be the prototype for who Lonnie Walker will become in the NBA. Walker has the potential to be what Mayo was supposed to be with elite defense ability to boot. Walker may not have a comparison on the defensive side of the ball because of his unique length combined with his instincts.
