Huskers Add Derrick Walker to Hoops Roster

Kansas City Native and Tennessee Transfer Will Have Two Seasons of Eligibility

Lincoln – Nebraska Men’s Basketball Coach Fred Hoiberg continued to bolster the Huskers’ interior presence with Wednesday’s announcement that Derrick Walker (Kansas City, Mo.) will join the program for the upcoming season.

Walker, a 6-foot-8, 235-pound forward, spent the last two seasons at the University of Tennessee, appearing in 64 contests, as the Volunteers won 56 games and made a pair of NCAA appearances during his tenure at the school. He will have two years of eligibility remaining after sitting out the 2019-20 season.

“Derrick is a physical player who gives us skill and versatility in the post,” Nebraska Coach Fred Hoiberg said. “He has played in big games over the last two years, and his experience will be an asset for us with so many newcomers on the roster.”

Walker played in 30 games as a sophomore, as Tennessee reached the NCAA Sweet 16 and finished with a 31-6 record in 2018-19. He came off the bench and averaged 0.8 points and 1.1 rebounds per game in just over five minutes per contest. He shot 53 percent from the floor, including 6-of-7 from the field in SEC play. He had five points, two boards and a pair of assists in a win over Georgia.

As a freshman, he was an integral member of the Volunteers’ 2017-18 SEC title team, appearing in 34 of the Vols’ 35 contests and averaging 1.9 points and 2.2 rebounds in 8.8 minutes per game. He was efficient on the offensive end, shooting nearly 60 percent from the floor, including 68 percent (19-of-28) in SEC section. He totaled five or more points six times, including career bests in points (10), field goals (five) and minutes (25) at South Carolina when he hit all five field goal attempts. He set personal bests in both rebounds (seven) and blocks (two) at Alabama and also grabbed seven board against Ole Miss. In all, he reached double-figures in minutes 11 times, including seven games against SEC competition. 

He spent his senior and postgrad years at Sunrise (Kan.) Christian Academy, where he averaged 14 points and seven rebounds per game in 2016-17. He was a four-star prospect by ESPN.com and three-star choice by Rivals and 247Sports, which rated him as the No. 2 prospect in Missouri in 2017. Walker played for the MoKan Elite in the summer of 2016, helping the team win the Nike Peach Jam championship. On that team, he played with 2018 first-round NBA picks Trae Young and Michael Porter Jr.  He spent three seasons at Raytown High School, helping the school to a conference title and earning second-team all-conference honors. Walker, who attended the same high school as former Husker legend Tyronn Lue, also played three years of football at the school.