More Walker Chatter:

[JesusShuttlesworth]

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Bill Walker Headed To KSU

DraftExpress broke the news that Bill Walker is headed to Kansas State University this semester after graduating early and enrolling. It's not certain whether he'll be playing basketball this season, but I believe this should qualify him to enter the 2007 NBA Draft.

Here's DrafExpress and their take on the situation:


DraftExpress has learned that Cincinnati North College Hill star Bill Walker has graduated high school early and obtained a qualifying standardized test score, and plans to enroll at Kansas State. The only thing that could possibly hold Walker back is the NCAA Clearinghouse, however his paperwork has already been sent in and no red flags are expected.


OJ Mayo's move now makes sense, Bill Walker wasn't sticking around to finish High School. I assume Mayo had every idea of Walker's plans of not being around at NCH for too long. The talk of taking the year off of basketball and finishing at NCH was a gimmick. Walker has made the right move for his career in basketball though, taking a year off generally does little good. Ask Lenny Cooke how his career is going, or how his stint in the Philippines was.

Bob Huggins has to be ecstatic at this news, especially if Bill Walker will be playing this season. If Walker is given playing time, and loves KSU, I can't see how this move doesn't help the pitch for OJ Mayo. Walker could be a great example of what OJ would receive, not to mention a seasoned Walker, Michael Beasley and OJ Mayo is a fantastically talented team.

I guess we'll find out soon enough whether Walker will be cleared to play this season or not. Either way this move looks smart. He'll be able to practice with better competition and a good coach if he's not able to play games, which should improve his somewhat raw game.

Thanks to Rodger Bohn and DraftExpress for the report.

http://hardwoodhoops.blogspot.com/2006/10/bill-walker-headed-to-ksu.html

[michigancat]

Bob Huggins has to be ecstatic at this news, especially if Bill Walker will be playing this season. If Walker is given playing time, and loves KSU, I can't see how this move doesn't help the pitch for OJ Mayo.

 

[BooyahKU]

It's not certain whether he'll be playing basketball this season, but I believe this should qualify him to enter the 2007 NBA Draft.

this sentence makes it look like he MIGHT play the one semester, maybe not, then go to the draft.  am i correct here?

[catfan28]

Well....he'll play this year...but I'm confused on the draft issue. I thought he would not be eligible until the 2008 draft?

Rusty ??

[michigancat]

From the original report:

The D-1 Greyhounds star will attempt to enroll in Manhattan this semester if possible, but will certainly be in classes by the time second semester begins. This now eliminates any doubt as to Walker’s availability to be selected in the 2007 NBA Draft, as it has been established that his original high school graduating class was 2006 and he will have a year of college basketball under his belt. Draft fans and scouts alike will certainly be following Bill throughout his time in Manhattan, due to the fact that he is by far the most physically imposing wing prospect to come out of high school since LeBron James, and has NBA All-Star potential with further development of his perimeter skills.

I think the question will be whether or not he can be included in the 2006 graduating class when he graduated four or five months late.

If he plays, I wouldn't consider it a given for him to declare in 2007, anyway.

[JesusShuttlesworth]

I don't want to sound like a squawk here and dog one of our player's games in order to make a case for him staying longer than he has to, but I think Bill will be brought down to earth a little bit by playing in the Big 12.  I expect to see Bill play at least a couple seasons for the Cats before he makes the jump. 

He has said before that getting his college degree is important to him and his family.  As with any high school phenom, when all of that potential gets exposed at the college level, many times the player feels the need to further develop his game in college. 

[BooyahKU]

From the original report:

The D-1 Greyhounds star will attempt to enroll in Manhattan this semester if possible, but will certainly be in classes by the time second semester begins. This now eliminates any doubt as to Walker’s availability to be selected in the 2007 NBA Draft, as it has been established that his original high school graduating class was 2006 and he will have a year of college basketball under his belt. Draft fans and scouts alike will certainly be following Bill throughout his time in Manhattan, due to the fact that he is by far the most physically imposing wing prospect to come out of high school since LeBron James, and has NBA All-Star potential with further development of his perimeter skills.

I think the question will be whether or not he can be included in the 2006 graduating class when he graduated four or five months late.

If he plays, I wouldn't consider it a given for him to declare in 2007, anyway.

dumbass

[WildCatzPhreak]

He can't go to the draft next year.

When he was ruled ineligible to play at NCH this year, there was a lot of speculation on whether or not he would be eligible for the NBA next year since he can't play high school basketball this year.  An NBA spokesman noted that the eligibility rule for players stated they are not eligible until one year after their graduating class leaves high school.  (Also that athletics have nothing to do with what determines a graduating class, but that academic years do.)  This has absolutely nothing to do with when the student graduates, but rather when their class does.  Graduating months or even semesters early does not change the fact that his graduating class is 2007, and he is therefore not eligible for the NBA draft until 2008.

There are a few articles on it, but I don't really feel like going and digging them up.

[michigancat]

From the original report:

The D-1 Greyhounds star will attempt to enroll in Manhattan this semester if possible, but will certainly be in classes by the time second semester begins. This now eliminates any doubt as to Walker’s availability to be selected in the 2007 NBA Draft, as it has been established that his original high school graduating class was 2006 and he will have a year of college basketball under his belt. Draft fans and scouts alike will certainly be following Bill throughout his time in Manhattan, due to the fact that he is by far the most physically imposing wing prospect to come out of high school since LeBron James, and has NBA All-Star potential with further development of his perimeter skills.

I think the question will be whether or not he can be included in the 2006 graduating class when he graduated four or five months late.

If he plays, I wouldn't consider it a given for him to declare in 2007, anyway.

dumbass

I was questioning the guy's interpretation of this rule:

(i) The player (A) is or will be at least 19 years of age during the calendar year in which the Draft is held, and (B) with respect to a player who is not an international player (defined below), at least one (1) NBA Season has elapsed since the player’s graduation from high school (or, if the player did not graduate from high school, since the graduation of the class with which the player would have graduated had he graduated from high school); and

http://www.nbpa.com/cba_articles/article-X.php


An "NBA season" is defined as such:

“Season” or “NBA Season” means the period beginning on the first day of training camp and ending immediately after the last game of the NBA Finals.

http://www.nbpa.com/cba_articles/article-I.php

Training camp began October 1, so I don't see how he could be eligible for the 2007 draft unless he graduated before October 1, which is very unlikely.

[plaincat]

I read it the same way as Rusty on the October 1 date.  But there is also the argument that the Ohio HIgh School Athletic Association ruled that his graduating class was the one that finished last May and the NBA rules say that he didn't have to graduate with them.

[michigancat]

I read it the same way as Rusty on the October 1 date.  But there is also the argument that the Ohio HIgh School Athletic Association ruled that his graduating class was the one that finished last May and the NBA rules say that he didn't have to graduate with them.

Bill's graduation date overrules his class graduation date.

[plaincat]

(or, if the player did not graduate from high school, since the graduation of the class with which the player would have graduated had he graduated from high school)

Doesn't look like it.  He didn't need to graduate at all to get in the draft.  He just needed his class to be the one that graduated last May.  And that is what the OHSAA ruled this summer.

[chum1]

The part about the graduating class is conditional upon a player not graduating.  It doesn't apply to Walker because he graduated.

[michigancat]

(or, if the player did not graduate from high school, since the graduation of the class with which the player would have graduated had he graduated from high school)

Doesn't look like it.  He didn't need to graduate at all to get in the draft.  He just needed his class to be the one that graduated last May.  And that is what the OHSAA ruled this summer.

The only problem with that is he DID graduate from high school.

[ksu_FAN]

If Walker heads to the NBA after one semester (or year) at K-State, it means he was a complete stud and that will only mean good things for KSU.  We'll let the NBA figure out what they really mean, but if Walker is elgible to leave after this year and he does, it'll mean he has a great freshman season, whether its just in the Big 12 or the whole thing.  None of this is bad for KSU.

[plaincat]

(or, if the player did not graduate from high school, since the graduation of the class with which the player would have graduated had he graduated from high school)

He did not graduate from high school with the graduating class that the OHSAA says is his.  If it said "has not graduated" then I would agree with you.

Regardless, I think he will be here at least two years.

[chum1]

You'd only be right if it said "did not graduate from high school with the graduating class that the OHSAA says is his."

[TheShocker]

Bill Walker is a liar and a thief. He also gave me AIDS.

[~WabashRoll~]

Wow.......

You are extremely retarded.

[plaincat]

You'd only be right if it said "except for Bill Walker who must play at least two years of college basketball."

[AzCat]

He also gave me AIDS.

Coming out of the closet today I see.

[TheShocker]

WabashRoll gave Bill Walker AIDS, so it's really his fault that I have AIDS. I'm sorry for judging you Billy!

[chum1]

This board needs to get these NBA issues sorted out.  With numerous future players that will to jump to the NBA ASAP, we need to be on our game so that we will know exactly how long they will be at KSU.  That's the downside to someone like Wooldridge leaving.  With him, all you could count on were transfers.

[jarrr]

http://yappi.com/forums/showthread.php?t=128089

[TheShocker]

He also gave me AIDS.

Coming out of the closet today I see.

We were sharing needles.