Antoine Walker

Antoine DeVon Walker (born August 12, 1976) is an American former professional basketball player.

He was drafted with the sixth overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft out of the University of Kentucky and played in the NBA from 1996 to 2008.

Walker, a three-time NBA All-Star, won an NCAA championship with Kentucky in 1996 and an NBA championship with the Heat in 2006.

Walker attended Mount Carmel High School, in Chicago, where he played with future NFL quarterback Donovan McNabb and attained all-state status as a senior, earning a full scholarship to play for Rick Pitino at the University of Kentucky.

He was a starting forward on the Wildcats' 1996 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Game-winning team.

As a freshman at Kentucky he was named SEC Tournament MVP.

In his sophomore year, Walker was named All-SEC First, All-SEC Tournament and to the All-NCAA Regional Teams.

After Walker's sophomore season, he declared for the 1996 NBA draft and was picked sixth overall by the Boston Celtics.

In the 1996–1997 season, Walker made the All-Rookie First Team and led the team in scoring (17.5 ppg) and rebounding (9.0), as the team had its worst season in franchise history, 15–67.

The following season, Pitino was reunited with Walker as the new coach of the Celtics and he made the All-Star team as a reserve while averaging 22.4 ppg and 10.2 rpg.

He also scored a career-high 49 points in a loss against the Washington Wizards.

Walker's success led to his appearance on the cover of NBA Live 99.

In the '98 draft, the Celtics had the 10th pick and chose swing man Paul Pierce.

The next few years, Pierce and Walker were a talented duo for the Celtics.

In the 2001–2002 season, Walker had his best overall season by helping lead the Celtics to a 49–33 record and their first playoff berth in seven years.

He was second on his team in scoring (22.0), first in rebounds (9), and first in assists, (5.0).

Pierce and Walker took the team to the Eastern Conference finals, where they fell to the New Jersey Nets in six games.

The next season, Walker made his third All-Star team.

On February 20, 2002, former Kentucky teammate Tony Delk was traded to the Celtics, reuniting Walker with him.

Just 10 days before the start of the 2003–04 season, Walker was traded with Delk to the Dallas Mavericks for Raef LaFrentz, Chris Mills, Jiří Welsch, and a 2004 first-round draft pick.

Despite appearing and starting in every game for Dallas that season, Walker was used in a relatively limited capacity on his new team due to the number of high-caliber players populating the Mavericks' roster.

Included on that team was Antawn Jamison, who was newly acquired from the Golden State Warriors.

On August 8, 2004, Walker and Delk were traded again, this time to the Atlanta Hawks for Jason Terry, longtime Hawk Alan Henderson and a conditional 2007 first-round draft pick.

As the pick did not convey, Dallas received cash considerations from Atlanta instead.

On February 24, 2005, Walker was traded back to the Celtics in a deal that sent Gary Payton, Tom Gugliotta, Michael Stewart, and a first-round draft pick to the Hawks.

(Payton was released by the Hawks and re-signed with Boston for the remainder of the season).

Walker started all 24 remaining games for the Celtics, averaging 16.3 points and 8.3 rebounds a game as the Celtics advanced to the playoffs before losing to the Indiana Pacers in a 7-game first round series.

For his second stint with the Celtics, Walker briefly chose to wear the uniform number 88, as his trademark 8 jersey was being worn by rookie Al Jefferson.

Jefferson would switch to number 7 after 2 games.

On August 2, 2005, Walker was involved in a five-team, 13-player deal (the largest trade in NBA history) that sent him from the Celtics to the Miami Heat.

The Celtics received Curtis Borchardt, Qyntel Woods, the draft rights of Albert Miralles, and draft picks in the deal.

The move reunited Walker with Celtics teammate Gary Payton.

The Heat played Walker mostly off the bench, and he rotated between both forward positions.

Though he struggled early to adjust to this role, by the end of the season he was a force for the Heat, finishing the season with averages of 12.2 points and 5.1 rebounds a game as the team's main scorer off the bench.

Walker also led the team in overall 3-point shots made for the season, and increased his 3-point, free throw and overall shooting percentages.

In the playoffs his production would increase, as he would be the third leading scorer for the team while making crucial three-point baskets and posting 20 points in four different playoff games including 23 against the New Jersey Nets in the closing game of the conference semifinals.

Miami advanced to the NBA Finals and faced the Dallas Mavericks, with Walker posting 13.8 points per game in the series as the Heat won the NBA championship in 6 games.

In the title clinching sixth game in Dallas, Walker contributed 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Walker's production dipped in the 2006–2007 season as he averaged 8.5 points a game and 4.3 rebounds.

Walker played for the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, the BSN's Mets de Guaynabo and the NBA D-League's Idaho Stampede before retiring from basketball in 2012.