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The Spurs are turning the page on their roster with the young guys from the last four drafts. Hoping for the best. I'm interested in seeing some the new guys in the Summer league. Two thirds of the Spurs key players going forward will be under 25 years old. That is a change.
I can't read the article. Wouldn't mind reading it. Is there a way to read it without registering?
SAN ANTONIO — The Vans were brand new, not fresh out the box new, but new in a way that they weren’t in Lonnie Walker’s possession for too long. But, despite the risk, Walker still decided to wear the sneakers while completing a messy project helping kids refurbish the playground area at SA Youth Center.
“It’s one of the few times I’ve ever painted,” said Walker, who assisted in painting a lunch table last month at the center and as a result got blue paint on his Vans. “Totally worth it.”
Considering the cost of the Vans, which usually run about $60-$65, and comparing that with the looks on the faces of the youth in attendance, Walker was correct, the blue paint on his sneakers was worth it.
And the thing is, Walker plans to keep the Vans, even though that paint partially ruined the texture.
“I’m going to rock them like this,” Walker said. “Next year, you’ll be like, ‘Are those them Vans?’”
But before next year arrives, Walker has some work to complete beginning July 1 in Salt Lake City to start the Summer League. From there, play will shift to Las Vegas for the NBA’s more significant event, which Walker will attempt to headline for the Spurs, too.
Last July was just the start for Walker. He had to overcome an early injury, but that summer really wasn’t about him anyway. Derrick White was the primary focus, as he was completing Year 2 of Summer League. Usually, in the second year, the Spurs would like to see some growth by the end of July.
White displayed his growth, and Dejounte Murray, Bryn Forbes and Davis Bertans paid their dues in the second year of Summer League action, too. The result was they all received more playing time in Gregg Popovich’s rotation. They all made an impact, and in Forbes and Bertans’ case, were awarded new contracts.
Walker isn’t at that point yet, but it would help the Spurs if he too could have a productive summer, as the Spurs could use his athleticism, playmaking and, most importantly in Popovich’s system, defense next season.
And Walker fully understands and accepts the challenge that awaits him over the next three weeks. He’s been preparing for these upcoming moments since May.
Getting his body right
Usually, for younger players who join the Spurs, when their first, or in some cases, second season concludes, they head right to the gym to get back to work the next day or two. It’s not uncommon to check a player’s Instagram story or Snapchat and find they are recording videos from a gym.
So, when Walker was asked what he did once the Spurs were eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the postseason, he quickly responded how he got right back to work. After a few seconds to think about it, Walker provided another answer.
“I actually slept,” Walker said. “I’m not going to sit here and lie. I actually slept. I was knocked out.”
When you think about all that Walker experienced his first season in the NBA, he did need some rest. Count the 29 games he played in the G League, add that to his time spent with the parent squad, the back-and-forth traveling from San Antonio to Austin, sometimes right after a game, and just the day-to-day grind of staying in shape and continuing to work on his game.
Walker went on a brief vacation before returning to the gym, but even while he was away, he started the process of working on his body. Walker lifted weights and transformed fat into muscle. He went from around 200 pounds and will be entering Utah at 208.
“That was my point of emphasis,” Walker said. “To be stronger, more prepared.”
But, as Walker would say, “it’s more than just lifting.” He also had to change his diet and develop better recovery habits. Walker is a fan of the fast food restaurant Church’s Chicken, but he knew he had to eat less of that and more healthful items.
Photo by Jabari Young/The Athletic
(Jabari Young / The Athletic)
He spoke with the Spurs about hiring a personal chef, and the team did the rest. They connected Walker with local chef Beveylon Concha. Some of the items she prepared for Walker included avocado wraps, pasta and spaghetti.
“The good thing about the Spurs is once you’re part of the family, you’re part of the family,” Walker said when asked about the team’s help in finding him a chef. “So, whatever you ask for, if you need some help, they’re a phone call away.”
After his change in diet, Walker’s routine for rest was altered a bit, too. He now tries to be in bed by 11 p.m. and up by 7 a.m. to begin his day before heading to the practice facility.
“You have to make sure you sleep,” Walker said. “That plays a huge part. After lifting and working out, you got to give your body some time to recover. You can’t go to sleep at 3 in the morning and wake up at 7 and do the same thing again because that’s just not healthy. So, making sure I maintain a consistent sleep schedule and trying to stay healthy for when you go to Utah and that al ude changes. All that eating and sleeping plays a huge part.”
Being vocal
At the first media session for the Spurs’ Summer League squad, Walker’s revised body was noticeable. His increase in muscle mass stood out, and something else did as well.
In the middle of a drill, Austin Spurs coach Blake Ahearn, who will serve as the coach for the Utah squad, stopped the action to make a point but was interrupted by Walker, who made it for him from a player’s perspective. It showed Ahearn, who has probably seen Walker more than most in the organization, as he coached the University of Miami product in the G League, that Walker grew in the leadership department.
Ahearn was impressed by Walker being more vocal, and he knows that’s an area that Popovich likes to see young players develop, too.
“That’s great,” Ahearn said. “That’s what you want to see because at the end of the day your voice gets tired. I’m tired of hearing my voice, and it’s good when those guys step up, especially for Lonnie.”
Ahearn remembered a crucial game in which Walker gained the most experience, which probably assisted in his emergence when it comes to on-court leadership.
In the Feb. 6 contest against the then-defending champs Golden State Warriors, Popovich threw Walker to the wolves starting in the first quarter at the 3:16 mark. That was the game Walker had a real run to gain a better feel for what the NBA was about on the court.
One could make the case it was Walker’s worst game of the year, at least shooting the ball. He finished 0-of-10, four points, three rebounds and three assists in a season-high 25 minutes. Ahearn said Walker often spoke about that game as the contest in which he gained the most game experience.
“The development stage is all about guys learning and progressing,” Ahearn said.
Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
(Soobum Im / USA Today)
And speaking of the progressing aspect, Walker feels he’s prepared to showcase what he’s been working on behind the scenes. With the help of development coaches, Walker and other young players have been concentrating on finishing around the basket with layups above the square and floaters. When Walker has participated in shooting drills, it’s been working on corner 3-pointers.
“On defense,” Walker said, “just being a dog. Being able to guard whoever they want me to guard, knowing what I can and cannot do (depending on) who I’m guarding. How to get over screens; when to get under screens. Those are the main things.”
It’s here that Walker makes it known that this summer will not only be about his ability to score. He knows the one area that will keep him on the court, and it’s obeying Popovich’s mandatory effort on defense.
“It’s not about trying to score 35 points,” Walker said. “It’s about how does he look defensively? Is he running to the corner? Is he fighting over screens? Is he going under screens when he needs to, staying in front of his man?
“I know what they want me to do, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do coming into the Summer League. It’s not about all the (hoopla). It’s about playing the right way; playing the Spurs way and earning Pop’s trust.”
Back to the Vans
Though the game against the Warriors was the contest in which he gained tons of experience, most will recall the April 3 outing against the Denver Nuggets. That was no doubt Walker’s best game of the 17 he played with the Spurs.
Walker scored a season-high 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting and went 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. But there was a particular play that still stands out in that game when Walker was ready to posterize Trey Lyles. The attempt appeared so impactful, most of the Nuggets’ bench — Lyles’ teammates — were prepared to erupt had Walker finished the job.
The moment couldn’t be completed though, as Walker turned it into a finger-roll attempt. Standing feet away from that blue table he just helped paint, Walker acknowledged he still has flashbacks of that potential dunk.
“It slipped out my hands, and I had to finger roll it,” he said. “Hopefully I can get another one.”
That moment could come over the next few weeks. Maybe Monday, when the Spurs open play against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Walker will change his decision, midair, and convert a poster-like dunk.
But one thing he will never change is the decision to sport those new Vans to help kids paint. As a kid growing up in Reading, Pa., Walker understands how much his presence can make an impact, especially in his current role as a Spur.
“It goes a long way,” Walker said. “The fact that I could be here and participate and help out, it was fantastic.”
Before he took off for the day after the Spurs’ first practice Thursday, Walker was reminded of those Vans. It’s been a few weeks since he visited SA Youth Center, and it was assumed that Walker changed his mind and got rid of the shoes.
Holding true to his word, though, Walker noted those sneakers are still in his possession.
“C’mon man,” Walker said. “(The Vans) with the blue paint in the front? I wore them yesterday; I’m not throwing them away. Vans go with anything. They can look terrible, and you can still put them on.”
And he might wear them again in Utah and Las Vegas. But make no mistake, no matter his attire, Walker is ready to take the next step and earn his minutes next season.
“I’m ready to show my talent,” he said. “But not only that, I’m ready to play team ball.”
(Photo of Lonnie Walker: Brian Babineau / Getty Images)
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Jabari Young is a Staff Writer for The Athletic, covering the San Antonio Spurs. He has covered the Spurs since 2013 for the San Antonio Express-News and spent one season covering the Portland Trail Blazers in 2014-15. Follow Jabari on Twitter @JabariJYoung.
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No need to temper excitement after seeing him play last year. He’s going to make a serious jump this year and his talent is undeniable.
Dejounte was the guy i was most looking forward to seeing play last year.
Now with the rise of Derrick White and the addition of Lonnie Walker, I'm very excited to see all 3 of these guys.
Lonnie i think has the potential to be the best of the 3 if he develops properly. Can't wait
LW4 has the toolset but I think he needs the ball too much to be effective. I was expecting him to be more of a defender who can dunk but he's more comfortable scoring. I dont think he's the guy who's gonna breakout this season. Hope im wrong though
Murray, White, Walker the future. Nailed 3/3 consecutive draft picks, that doesn’t happen often
That's fine. It looks he loves spot one two dribble pull ups. White, Murray got the defenisve part. He can trail and block shots off the backboard. Lol. He is too green least give him 2 years of development specially with his two injuries the past 2 years. He had no big program experience until last year. Miami he lost half a season too.
He's 20 years old.You can "teach" catch and shoot and offensive movement into space to a 20year old.
(And that's coming from a fan that wasn't at all impressed with what he saw from Walker as a rookie)
Walker did not play enough meaningful minutes last year to judge but
After a poor early start of being lost on defense-lacking presence and easily getting picked and only engaging on offense when he had the ball otherwise standing around with his hand in the air
Later in the season there were improvements on D and off the ball movement
Maybe just maybe he gets it
He sure seems to have tools for success
The question is does he have the mental make up to be a difference and can he stay healthy
Last edited by GAustex; 06-29-2019 at 10:08 AM.
If he develops a consistent corner 3 and gets better on defense as far as knowing where to be then he's going to be a huge asset for the Spurs.
Anybody know what that blue thing he's standing on is for?
probably a balance aide, to toughen up the ankle, cuz you know
How do you know they nailed 3 out of 3 Walker hasn't shown anything.
Could be Prime Shumpert 2.0
Anyone who new what he had to go through surgery recovering from surgery missing valuable practice with the team. Then playing with G League and off course looking bad his first few games but he started to get better every game. Even when he got called up his first game he was lost but the last one they had him pretty much bringing the ball up playing PG and his awareness was just so much better it was like night and day.
i think he can be like Manu being the guy off the bench who can create that spark really looking forward to next season.
I've been saying from the jump that out of all the young players he has the best chance to be special. I hope he looks great in these Summer League games and makes it through them healthy.
I hope him and Samanic look really good.
Neither of them REALLY has. Just flashes.
This next year is going to be interesting, potentially in a couple of different ways.
What if we did hit on all 3?
But what if we missed?
Interesting, interesting, interesting.
Ones already been all nba defense second team and has shown marked improvement offensively. Making n all nba anything I’d say is hitting on something but, spurs fans gonna spurs fan.
Thanks for reposting the article, Dejounte. I could read it before.
Wait really? How do you know
I am just hoping to watch him play and him not get injured. I will always remember Murray ting himself in summer league and then becoming a rotation player so I’ll keep a better perspective. I just want to watch the guy stay healthy.
Now just gotta find a clip of his postgame interview. Crediting Chip and work the organization is putting in with him, and talking about what he’s improving.
Nice to have a guy who isn’t a mute and knows coaching staff by name.
Kawhi thought the head coach on the Raps was part of the medical staff because his name was Nurse.
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