[OSUBasketballJunkie]

LINK

6/11/05

Mayo and Walker: Smooth Operators at International Sports Invitational

O.J. Mayo and Bill Walker, Class of 2007 recruits and current teammates, may be package deal



June 10, 2005

By Jason Owens
CSTV.com

<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on">SAN DIEGO</st1:City> -- <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Ohio</st1:State></st1lace> point guard O.J. Mayo is the most coveted recruit of the class of 2007. After his performance this week at the International Sports Invitational, it's easy to see why.

Mayo has arguably had the best performance of the tournament through his first two games. He's tallied 50 points, nine rebounds and six assists, while hitting on 6-of-8 behind the arc.

While he hasn't announced a list of favorite schools yet, the college team that wins him over will get an immediate boost. And if Mayo has any say in it, he won't be the only reason. North College Hill High teammate and friend Bill Walker may join him for the ride.

"We'll most likely be a package deal," Mayo said of <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Walker</st1lace></st1:City>. "We talk about the same schools. We'll be together."

That's a scary prospect. While O.J. may be the man on his high school team, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Walker</st1lace></st1:City> wouldn't play second fiddle on many other squads. The 6-6 forward is the best athlete at the ISI and is ranked as high as the third best prospect in his class.

Both players are leaving their marks at the ISI, standing apart from many of the elite high school players gathered to play for USA Basketball at <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">San Diego</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">State</st1:PlaceType></st1lace> this week. But no player quite draws the buzz that <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Walker</st1lace></st1:City> does.

In a nod to NBA great Dominique Wilkins, Mayo dubs <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Walker</st1lace></st1:City> the human-highlight reel. And the moniker is well-earned. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Walker</st1lace></st1:City> threw down eight dunks in his first ISI game and continues to fly above the rest of the field.

While the knock on <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Walker</st1lace></st1:City> is that he's one-dimensional and doesn't have much game outside of attacking the basket, it hasn't shown this week. In three games, he's averaging 17 points, 4.7 boards and 2.3 assists on 69.7 percent shooting.

While Mayo will only say that he's looking at Big East, ACC, Big 12 and Big 10 schools, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Walker</st1lace></st1:City> rattled off some schools of interest with a little prodding. He noted <st1:City w:st="on">Cincinnati</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">West Virginia</st1:State>, <st1:City w:st="on">Louisville</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">Texas</st1:State>, <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Wake Forest</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">North Carolina</st1:State></st1lace> and UConn. But he made it clear that it was far from a final list.

If they do end up going to school together, their coach may be best suited to consult them before putting together an offensive scheme. The two have played with each other for several years and are very familiar each other on the court.

" We just have fun," said Mayo. "We've been playing with each other since the fourth or fifth grade. I'm used to seeing everything that you guys are seeing now."

Jason Owens is an editor for CSTV.com<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o></o>

<!-- STORY AD BEGINS HERE -->

LINK

6/11/05

Bill Walker: 'Dirty McNasty' likes to dunk

<!-- SIDEBAR --><!-- ARTICLE SIDEBAR --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=210 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=10></TD><TD><!--MAIN PHOTO--><!--RELATED ARTICLES--><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#cccccc><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=10 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#eeeeee>Related articles
• Oden to face top-ranked junior in gold-medal game
• Oden's teammates show they can win on his off night

<!--RELATED EXTERNAL LINKS--></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!--RELATED PHOTO GALLERIES--><!----><!--RELATED PHOTOS GALLERIES AND MULTIMEDIA ASSETS--><!--MAIN FACTS BOX--><!--ADDITIONAL FACTS --></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- STORY TEXT --><!--ARTICLE BODY TEXT-->
SAN DIEGO -- Bill Walker is heading into his junior year of high school, but the 6-6 small forward is already known in national basketball circles for his dunking.

Just in case some might not know, he has one of his nicknames, "Sky Walker," tattooed on his right arm. He has other monikers as well, including the most recent, "Dirty McNasty," for the ferocity of his high-flying slams.

"When people watch basketball, they want to see stuff like that, the dunks. That's what catches everybody's eye," said Walker, who had eight dunks in his opening game of the USA Basketball Youth Development Festival. "But I can do other things on the court."

He is a lock-down defender who utilizes all of his 220 pounds, handles the ball well for a small forward and has a consistent jumper. But it's the explosion toward the rim from all manner of pogo-stick angles on the court that gets him noticed while playing on the same Cincinnati high school team as O.J. Mayo, the top-ranked player in the Class of 2007.

Walker lived in Huntington, W.Va., until the middle of eighth grade, when he moved to Cincinnati. He said he played football until age 10, when Mayo's grandfather, Dwaine Barnes, began teaching him basketball. Barnes is now the coach of the AAU team that includes both Mayo and Walker.

"O.J.'s grandfather started working with us, rounding out our games," Walker said. "I guess from my youth he saw something."