Derrick Walton Jr. (born April 3, 1995) is an American professional
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...
player for the
Sydney Kings of the Australian
National Basketball League (NBL). After going undrafted in the
2017 NBA draft
The 2017 NBA draft was held on June 22, 2017, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. National Basketball Association (NBA) teams took turns selecting U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players.
...
, he spent his first professional season as a
two-way contract
A two-way contract is a professional sports contract that stipulates that an athlete's salary is dependent upon the league in which the athlete is assigned to play. This is opposed to a one-way contract that would pay the same salary regardless of ...
player with the
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The club plays its home games at FT ...
and their
G League
The NBA G League, or simply the G League, is the National Basketball Association's (NBA) official minor league basketball organization. The league was known as the National Basketball Development League (NBDL) from 2001 to 2005, and the NBA Dev ...
affiliate, the
Sioux Falls Skyforce
The Sioux Falls Skyforce are an American professional basketball team of the NBA G League based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and are affiliated with the Miami Heat. The team plays their home games in the Sanford Pentagon, a place they have call ...
.
He played
college basketball
In United States colleges, top-tier basketball is governed by collegiate athletic bodies including National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the United States Collegiate Athleti ...
for the
Michigan Wolverines. As a high school senior at
Chandler Park Academy in 2013, he was a
''Parade'' All-American, the Michigan Boys Basketball
Gatorade Player of the Year and the runner-up for the
Mr. Basketball of Michigan award. He was a
2013–14 Big Ten Conference men's basketball season
The 2013–14 Big Ten men's basketball season began with practices in October 2013, followed by the start of the 2013–14 NCAA Division I men's basketball season in November. Michigan won the regular season title, but lost to Michigan State in ...
All-Freshman selection in the Big Ten for the
2013–14 team, which won the
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference) is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representati ...
regular-season championship outright. He was a
2015–16 Big Ten Conference men's basketball season
The 2015–16 Big Ten men's basketball season began with practices in October 2015, followed by the start of the 2015–16 NCAA Division I men's basketball season in November. Conference play began in late December and concluded in March, 2016.
...
All-Big Ten third-team selection by the coaches and an honorable mention selection by the media as a junior. He was a
2016–17 Big Ten Conference men's basketball season
The 2016–17 Big Ten men's basketball season began with practices in October 2016, followed by the start of the 2016–17 NCAA Division I men's basketball season in November. The Conference held its preseason media day on October 13 in Washingt ...
All-Big Ten second-team selection by the coaches and the media as a senior. Walton is the only Wolverine with 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 400 assists and holds the school single-game assist record (16). He was the
Most Outstanding Player of the
2017 Big Ten Conference men's basketball tournament for the tournament champion
2016–17 Wolverines.
Early life
Walton was born in
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at ...
to Angela and Derrick Walton Sr. on April 3, 1995. Walton had considered attending
Saginaw High School
Saginaw High School (part of the Saginaw City School District) is located in Saginaw, Michigan, USA. The student enrollment is 593 students.
History
The school was established in 1865 as East Side High School. Alice Freeman Palmer, who later be ...
with a close friend of his named Dorian Dawkins, but Dawkins collapsed at a basketball camp on June 12, 2009, due to a heart defect and Walton Sr. became the
head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches. In some sports, the head coach is instead called the "manager", as in assoc ...
at Chandler Park Academy. June 13, 2011 was the first day that Michigan offered scholarships to the class of 2013.
[ On August 1, 2011, Walton announced his non-binding verbal commitment to Michigan. At the time, he was ranked 77th, 88th and 92nd in the class of 2013, according to ]Scout.com
Scout Media is an integrated sports publishing company that produces Internet content covering hundreds of professional and college teams across America. The company was founded in 2001 and was acquired by Fox Sports in 2005. In 2013, Fox Sports ...
, Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting in the United States. The network was started in 1998 and employs more than 300 personnel.
History
Rivals.com was founded in 1998 by Jim Heckma ...
and ESPN.com
ESPN.com is the official website of ESPN. It is owned by ESPN Internet Ventures, a division of ESPN Inc.
History
Since launching in April 1995 as ESPNET.SportsZone.com (ESPNET SportsZone), the website has developed numerous sections including ...
, respectively. This commitment came one day after Zak Irvin joined Michigan's 2013 recruiting class. As a junior, he had a breakout season that included posting 47 points and 12 rebounds
'Rebound' is a term used in sports to describe the ball (or puck or other object of play) becoming available for possession by either opponent after an attempt to put the ball or puck into the goal has been unsuccessful. Rebounds are generally ...
against Crockett High School on March 9, 2012, and a quadruple-double
In basketball, a double-double is a single-game performance in which a player accumulates ten or more in two of the following five statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots. The first "double" in the term ...
against Cesar Chavez Academy Cesar, César or Cèsar may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* ''César'' (film), a 1936 film directed by Marcel Pagnol
* ''César'' (play), a play by Marcel Pagnolt
* César Award, a French film award
Places
* Cesar, Portugal
* Ces ...
on January 31, 2012.[ During the summer of 2012, Walton's Rivals.com ranking increased from 57th to 44th in the national class of 2013. On November 16, 2012, Michigan men's basketball received a signed National Letter of Intent from the Walton.] At Chandler Park Academy, he was the runner-up for the 2013 Mr. Basketball of Michigan award by a 2,130–2,086 margin to Iowa State signee Monte Morris
Monte may refer to:
Places Argentina
* Argentine Monte, an ecoregion
* Monte Desert
* Monte Partido, a ''partido'' in Buenos Aires Province
Italy
* Monte Bregagno
* Monte Cassino
* Montecorvino (disambiguation)
* Montefalcione
Portugal
* Monte ...
but had one more first-place vote. He was a 2013 ''Parade'' All-American honoree and the Michigan Boys Basketball Gatorade Player of the Year. By the end of his high school career, he was ranked 37th by Rivals.
College career
Walton joined a team that had just lost Trey Burke
Alfonso Clark "Trey" Burke III (born November 12, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for the Stockton Kings of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Michigan Wolverines where in the 2012–13 season, he earne ...
and Tim Hardaway Jr.
Timothy Duane Hardaway Jr. (born March 16, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Michigan Wolverines and declared for th ...
to the 2013 NBA draft. The 2012–13 Wolverines had reached the championship game
In sport, a championship is a Competition#Sports, competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion.
Championship systems
Various forms of competition can be referred to by the term championship.
Title match sy ...
of the 2013 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament
The 2013 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament was a single-elimination tournament that involved 68 teams playing to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 19, 2013, and concluded wit ...
, losing to Louisville
Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border.
...
.
Freshman season
In September 2013, ''Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twi ...
'' named him the 9th best freshman. '' Sporting News'' named him the 3rd best Big Ten
The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference) is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representati ...
newcomer. On November 8, the Wolverines opened the season against UMass Lowell
The University of Massachusetts Lowell (UMass Lowell and UML) is a Public university, public research university in Lowell, Massachusetts, with a satellite campus in Haverhill, Massachusetts. It is the northernmost member of the University of Mas ...
. Michigan played six freshmen and Walton started. Michigan played its third game of Walton's freshman season against Morris' Iowa State Cyclones
The Iowa State Cyclones are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Iowa State University, located in Ames. The university is a member of the Big 12 Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 16 varsity teams (6 men's an ...
and Walton outscored Morris by a 13–2 margin, but Iowa State won the contest, upsetting the AP Poll
The Associated Press poll (AP poll) provides weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling 62 sportswriters and broad ...
#7/Coaches Poll
The Coaches Poll is a weekly ranking of the top 25 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) college football, Division I college basketball, and Division I college baseball teams. The football version of the poll has been known officiall ...
#8 Wolverines 77–70 on November 17. On November 22 against Florida State
Florida State University (FSU) is a public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher e ...
, Walton contributed 15 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds to a two-point overtime
Overtime is the amount of time someone works beyond normal working hours. The term is also used for the pay received for this time. Normal hours may be determined in several ways:
*by custom (what is considered healthy or reasonable by society) ...
victory. Walton posted seven assists for the first time on November 29 against Coppin State
Coppin State University (Coppin) is a public historically black university in Baltimore, Maryland. It is part of the University System of Maryland and a member of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. In terms of demographics, the Coppin State st ...
. On January 9 against Nebraska
Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the sout ...
, Walton contributed key baskets at the end of each half in a one-point victory, giving Michigan its first five-game win streak since the 2013 NCAA tournament. He made a buzzer beater
In basketball and other such timed sports, a buzzer beater is a shot that is taken before the game clock of a quarter, a half (if the half is the second one, then, a game), or an overtime period expires but does not go in the basket until after t ...
from beyond half court before the half to give Michigan a halftime lead and a layup in Michigan's final possession to take the lead. On January 25 in the Michigan–Michigan State rivalry game, Walton set a new career high with a team-high (tied with Nik Stauskas
Nikolas Tomas Stauskas (born October 7, 1993) is a Canadian professional basketball player who last played for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A shooting guard, Stauskas played two seasons of college basketball f ...
) 19 points and added 6 rebounds and 4 assists to help Michigan defeat the (#3) Michigan State Spartans
The Michigan State Spartans are the athletic teams that represent Michigan State University. The school's athletic program includes 23 varsity sports teams. Their mascot is a Spartan warrior named Sparty, and the school colors are green and wh ...
80–75. The victory marked the first time in school history that the team defeated three consecutive AP Poll
The Associated Press poll (AP poll) provides weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling 62 sportswriters and broad ...
top ten opponents and marked the first time since the 1986–87 Iowa Hawkeyes that any team had won three consecutive games, all of which were against top ten opponents. It also gave Michigan a 7–0 Big Ten start, which was the best since the 1976–77 team won its first eight games.[ In the game, Walton went 9-for-10 from the ]free throw
In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points by shooting from behind the free-throw line (informally known as the foul line or the charity stripe), a line situated at the end of the restricted area. Free throws ...
line, including 8-for-9 in the final two and a half minutes. For the week, Walton earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week recognition. On February 11, Walton posted his first double-double
In basketball, a double-double is a single-game performance in which a player accumulates ten or more in two of the following five statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots. The first "double" in the term ...
with 13 points and 10 rebounds against Ohio State
The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best public ...
, helping Michigan win at Ohio State for the first time in 11 years. Following the regular season, he was named a Big Ten All-Freshman team selection by the coaches. Michigan clinched its first outright (unshared) Big Ten Conference championship since 1985–86. The 2013–14 team advanced to the Elite Eight
In the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship or the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship, the "Elite Eight" comprises the final eight teams, representing the regional finals, or national quarterfinals. In Division I and Divis ...
round of the 2014 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament before being eliminated by Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...
. He posted a career-high four steals in an upset loss against the EMU Eagles.
Sophomore season
In its preseason top 100 player rankings, ESPN ranked Walton #87. Walton was named along with Big Ten point guards Yogi Ferrell
Kevin Duane "Yogi" Ferrell Jr. (born May 9, 1993) is an American professional basketball player for Cedevita Olimpija of the ABA League. He played college basketball at Indiana University.
Early life
Ferrell was ranked the number one player in h ...
and Melo Trimble
Romelo Delante Trimble (born February 2, 1995) is an American professional basketball player for CSKA Moscow of the VTB United League. He played at Bishop Denis J. O'Connell High School in Arlington, Virginia, where he was a McDonald's All-Ameri ...
to the 36-man Bob Cousy Award
The Bob Cousy Award presented by The College of the Holy Cross (or Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year Award) is an annual basketball award given by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to the top men's collegiate point guard. ...
Preseason Watch List.
Walton opened the season with a career-high 22 points against Hillsdale College on November 15. On November 29, he was sidelined with an undetermined toe injury against Nicholls State. On December 9, Walton set a career high with 4 steals in a loss against Eastern Michigan
Eastern Michigan University (EMU, Eastern Michigan or simply Eastern), is a public research university in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School, the school was the fourth normal school established in the United Sta ...
. On December 22, Walton posted a career high of 9 assists against Coppin State
Coppin State University (Coppin) is a public historically black university in Baltimore, Maryland. It is part of the University System of Maryland and a member of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. In terms of demographics, the Coppin State st ...
. In the January 17 win vs. Northwestern, Walton made a career-high four three-point field goal
A three-point field goal (also 3-pointer, three, or trey) is a field goal in a basketball game made from beyond the three-point line, a designated arc surrounding the basket. A successful attempt is worth three points, in contrast to the two poi ...
s. On January 20 against Rutgers
Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's College, and w ...
in the first game after Caris LeVert
Caris Coleman LeVert (born August 25, 1994) is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Michigan Wolverines. As a freshman for the ...
(the team's leader in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and minutes) was lost for the season, Walton scored a team-high 12 points, including 10 as Michigan rallied from a 42–37 deficit to assume a 52–44 lead with just 32.5 seconds left. The 10 points included two three-pointers that tied the score at 42 and gave Michigan a 45–42 lead and 4 free throws in the final minute. On January 24, Walton scored a team-high 17 points and hit a three-pointer with 1.3 seconds to go against (AP #6/Coaches #5) Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
to tie the game and send it to overtime, but Michigan eventually lost. On January 27, Walton was removed from the lineup prior to the game due to a sore toe as Michigan defeated Nebraska
Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the sout ...
. He then missed the final 12 games of the season due to the toe injury.
Junior season
After playing only 19 of Michigan's 32 games the prior season for the 2014–15 Wolverines, Walton began the season as a starter against . On November 16 against Elon, Walton led all players with 24 points, six rebounds and seven assists. His performance included career highs of 24 points, eight field goals (10 attempts) and six three-point shots (seven attempts). Walton sprained his ankle in the first half of the December 1 ACC–Big Ten Challenge
The ACC–Big Ten Challenge (or Big Ten–ACC Challenge as it was called in alternating years) was an in-season NCAA Division I men's college basketball series that matched up teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and the Big Ten Confer ...
victory over NC State
North Carolina State University (NC State) is a public land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded in 1887 and part of the University of North Carolina system, it is the largest university in the Carolinas. The university ...
. The injury was caused when NC State's Abdul-Malik Abu
Abdul-Malik Abu (born September 16, 1995), is a Nigerian American professional basketball player for Hapoel Galil Elyon of the Israeli Premier League.
High school career
Abu first attended Marblehead High School in Marblehead, Massachusetts befo ...
stepped on Walton's foot. In the subsequent game on December 5 against Houston Baptist, Caris LeVert
Caris Coleman LeVert (born August 25, 1994) is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Michigan Wolverines. As a freshman for the ...
started in his place at point guard while he sat out. On December 15 against Northern Kentucky
Northern Kentucky is the third-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. Commonwealth of Kentucky after Louisville and Lexington, and its cities and towns serve as the de facto "south side" communities of Cincinnati, Ohio. The three main counties ...
, Walton returned from the ankle injury that had sidelined him for three games, and posted 16 points, one rebound, one assist and one steal. On December 19 against Youngstown State
Youngstown State University (YSU or Youngstown State) is a public university in Youngstown, Ohio. It was founded in 1908 and is the easternmost member of the University System of Ohio.
The university is composed of six undergraduate colleges an ...
, Walton posted 10 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists, becoming the fifth player in school history to record a triple-double
In basketball, a double-double is a single-game performance in which a player accumulates ten or more in two of the following five statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots. The first "double" in the term ...
. The rebound and assist totals were career highs. On January 12 with leading scorer Caris LeVert
Caris Coleman LeVert (born August 25, 1994) is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Michigan Wolverines. As a freshman for the ...
sidelined, Michigan defeated (#3/#3) Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
70–67 as Walton had a 12-point/10-rebound double-double. On January 23, Walton's 19-point, 12-rebound double-double helped Michigan defeat Nebraska
Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the sout ...
81–68, and his 13-point, 10-rebound double-double on January 30 against Penn State helped lead Michigan to victory in the inaugural B1G Super Saturday game at Madison Square Garden. On February 10, Michigan defeated Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
behind a career-high 26 points by Walton. Following the 2015–16 Big Ten season, he was listed as a third-team All-Big Ten selection by the coaches and an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection by the media. On March 11, during the quarterfinals of the 2016 Big Ten Conference men's basketball tournament
The 2016 Big Ten men's basketball tournament was the postseason men's basketball tournament for the Big Ten Conference held from March 9 through March 13 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was the nineteenth annual Big Ten m ...
against Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
, Walton set a Big Ten tournament single-game record with 12 assists. The record lasted 5 years until Mike Smith posted 15 for the Wolverines in the 2021 Big Ten men's basketball tournament
The 2021 Big Ten men's basketball tournament was a postseason men's basketball tournament for the Big Ten Conference of the 2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season which took place March 10–14, 2021. The tournament was originally to ...
. Walton finished the Big Ten tournament with 22 assists over the course of the tournament, tying him for third on the all-time single tournament list with Brent Darby ( 2003), until Denzel Valentine
Denzel Robert Valentine (born November 16, 1993) is an American professional basketball player for the Maine Celtics of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Michigan State Spartans. As a senior, Valentine became the first playe ...
went on to total 28 assists for the tournament the next day. On March 18, Michigan lost to No. 6 seed Notre Dame in the 2016 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament
The 2016 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament involved 68 teams playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the men's National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I college basketball national champion for the 20 ...
, 63–70. Walton recorded a career-high six steals, along with ten points, eight assists and four rebounds. Six steals broke a Michigan single-NCAA Tournament game record shared by Mitch McGary
Mitchell Neil William McGary (born June 6, 1992) is an American former professional basketball player. A native of Chesterton, Indiana, McGary declared for the NBA draft after completing his sophomore season for the 2013–14 Michigan Wolverin ...
(2013), Ricky Green
Rickey Green (born August 18, 1954) is an American retired professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Green, a and point guard, led Chicago's Hirsch High School to the 1973 IHSA Class AA State ch ...
(1977) and Tom Stanton (1977).
Senior season
Walton entered the season as one of ten Preseason All-Big Ten honorees. He served as a co- captain with Zak Irvin. In the championship game of the 2016 2K Sports Classic
The Empire Classic, formerly known as the 2K Sports Classic, is an annual college basketball event played in November at the beginning of the season and televised by ESPN. Originally known as the Atlantic City Shootout and produced by the Gazel ...
held at Madison Square Garden on November 18, Walton made a career-high seven three-point shots and scored 23 points as Michigan defeated SMU 76–54. On December 10 against (#2/#2) UCLA
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California ...
, Walton posted nine points, becoming the 51st Wolverine in program history to eclipse 1,000 career points. On January 6, 2017, Walton was one of five Big Ten players included on the 30-man Senior CLASS Award
The Senior CLASS Award is awarded to the most outstanding senior student-athlete in 10 NCAA Division I sports. An acronym for "Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School," the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete ...
candidate list. On February 7 against Michigan State
Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the first of its kind in the United States. It i ...
, Walton posted 20 points, 8 assists and 5 rebounds, becoming the third player in program history to eclipse 1,000 points, 400 rebounds and 400 assists, joining Gary Grant and Jalen Rose
Jalen Anthony Rose (born January 30, 1973) is an American sports analyst and former professional basketball player. In college, he was a member of the University of Michigan Wolverines' " Fab Five" (along with Chris Webber, Juwan Howard, Jimmy K ...
. On February 12, Walton led Michigan to its first road win with 25 points against Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
, marking his fifth consecutive 20-point game. After averaging 22.5 points, 6.0 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 2.5 steals and shooting a 60.9% (14-for-23) field goal percentage
Field goal percentage in basketball is the ratio of field goals made to field goals attempted. Its abbreviation is FG%. Although three-point field goal percentage is often calculated separately, three-point field goals are included in the genera ...
, an 83.3% (5-for-6) three-point percentage and a perfect 12-for-12 on his free throws, Walton earned Co-Big Ten Player of the Week honors (along with Jordan Murphy) on February 13. On February 16 against (#11/#10) Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
, Walton posted 5 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists, becoming the first player in program history to eclipse 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 400 assists. On March 5, Walton posted 18 points, 5 steals, and set the Michigan single-game assists record with 16 against Nebraska
Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the sout ...
in the final regular-season game of his senior year,[ surpassing Grant who had twice totalled 14. Walton earned another Co-Big Ten Player of the Week honor (along with Caleb Swanigan) on March 6.] Walton was recognized by both the coaches and the media as a second-team All-Big Ten selection. Walton was one of ten Big Ten players honored as All-District selections by the United States Basketball Writers Association.
Prior to the 2017 Big Ten Conference men's basketball tournament, Walton incurred stitches in his right leg for injuries sustained in an airplane accident on the way to the tournament. In the March 11 semifinal of the Big Ten tournament against Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
, Walton posted a career-high 29 points including a perfect 10-for-10 on his free throws as well as a game-high 9 assists to lead Michigan to an 84–77 victory. It was only the fourth time someone had made at least 10 free throws without a miss in a Big Ten tournament game. In the championship game 71–56 victory over (#23/#24) Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
, Walton posted 22 points for eighth-seeded Michigan. During the Big Ten tournament, Walton averaged 20.5 points, 6.3 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.8 steals while shooting 22-for-23 from the free throw line. After the tournament, he was named Big Ten tournament Most Outstanding Player.
In the first round of the 2017 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, Walton posted 26 points and 11 assists in a 92–91 victory over Oklahoma State
Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...
. It marked the first time a player had had either at least 11 assists and 24 points or at least 25 points, 10 assists and 5 rebounds in an NCAA Division I tournament game since Dwyane Wade in 2003. The team reached the sweet sixteen round of the tournament. Walton was included on the National Association of Basketball Coaches
The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, is an American organization of men's college basketball coaches. It was founded in 1927 by Phog Allen, head men's basketball coach at the University ...
Division I All‐District 7 second-team on March 22. His 98 three-point shots made led the Big Ten conference. Walton finished second in minutes played (34.8), free throw percentage (87.6%) and assists/turnover ratio (2.9) in the Big Ten for the season. He finished his career second in career free throw percentage (83.67%), third in career games started (126) fourth in career assists (499) and fourth in career three-point field goals made (233) in school history. He was selected to participate as a 3-Point Championship contestant in the March 30 State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships as part of the 2017 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament final four weekend. Walton finished third out of eight. Following the season, Walton was named team MVP
In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
. On April 30, 2017, Jeff Goodman of ESPN reported that he was named as an alternate to the NBA Draft Combine
The NBA Draft Combine is a multi-day showcase that takes place every May before the annual June NBA draft. At the combine, college basketball players are measured and take medical tests, are interviewed, perform various athletic tests and shootin ...
. Ultimately, Walton was invited to attend the combine.
Professional career
Miami Heat (2017–2018)
Following the season, Walton went undrafted in the 2017 NBA draft
The 2017 NBA draft was held on June 22, 2017, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. National Basketball Association (NBA) teams took turns selecting U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players.
...
and signed to play with the Orlando Magic for the 2017 NBA Summer League
The 2017 NBA Summer League consisted of three pro basketball leagues organized by the National Basketball Association (NBA): the Orlando Pro Summer League, Utah Jazz Summer League, and Las Vegas Summer League.
Eight teams participated in the wee ...
. Walton had an impressive summer league performance. He averaged 10.0 points, 3.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 20.5 minutes in four games while shooting 46.9% (15-of-32) field goal percentage and 50% (6-of-12) on three-point shots. On July 24, 2017, Walton signed a two-way contract
A two-way contract is a professional sports contract that stipulates that an athlete's salary is dependent upon the league in which the athlete is assigned to play. This is opposed to a one-way contract that would pay the same salary regardless of ...
with the Miami Heat
The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The club plays its home games at FT ...
, meaning he would split his playing time between the Heat and their G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce
The Sioux Falls Skyforce are an American professional basketball team of the NBA G League based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and are affiliated with the Miami Heat. The team plays their home games in the Sanford Pentagon, a place they have call ...
.[ On October 23, Walton was assigned to the Skyforce with the expectation that he would spend most of the season in the G League. He did not play when the Skyforce opened their season on November 4 because he left the team in advance of the game.]
With Dion Waiters
Dion Waiters Jr. (born December 10, 1991) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Syracuse Orange and was selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. ...
absent and Rodney McGruder sidelined, Walton was active on November 6 against the Golden State Warriors, when he made his NBA debut, posting one defensive rebound in one minute of play. Walton converted 2 free throws on November 19 against the Indiana Pacers, and he posted his first NBA field goal (a three-point shot) on December 18 against the Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The team plays its home games at ...
.
On January 5, 2018, Walton was sidelined with an illness. Over the course of the season, Walton appeared in 16 games with the Heat.
In late June 2018, the Heat made Walton a restricted free agent by extended Walton a qualifying offer that they could withdraw at any point up to July 13.
Žalgiris Kaunas (2018–2019)
On August 12, 2018, Walton signed with the Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded on January ...
. He was waived by the Bulls on October 12.
On October 18, Žalgiris Kaunas announced that they signed a contract with Walton until the end of the 2018–19 season. On February 12, 2019, Walton, whose playing time had started declining since December, left Žalgiris by terminating his deal with mutual agreement. He averaged 8.4 points and 4.4 assists in the LKL, and 4.6 points and 2.5 assists in the Euroleague.
Alba Berlin (2019)
Walton joined Alba Berlin in mid February 2019. He helped Alba reach the Basketball Bundesliga finals.
Los Angeles Clippers (2019–2020)
Walton joined the Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division in the league's Western Conference. The Clipper ...
for the 2019 NBA Summer League
The 2019 NBA Summer League was held at the Thomas and Mack Center and Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada on the campus of University of Nevada, Las Vegas. It began on July 5 and ended on July 15. All 30 teams and two national teams, China and Croat ...
. After the Summer League ended, Walton signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the team. Walton made the opening day 15-man roster. Walton was assigned to the Agua Caliente Clippers
The Ontario Clippers, formerly known as the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario, are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Ontario, California, and are affiliated with the Los Angeles Clippers. The team began play in ...
for the start of the G League season. He made key late free throws to seal wins for Agua Caliente in their first two games of the season. He was assigned multiple times to Agua Caliente between November 7, 2019, and January 29, 2020.
Walton remained deep on the Clippers bench early in the season as the team used Jerome Robinson
Jerome Robinson (born February 22, 1997) is an American professional basketball player for the Santa Cruz Warriors of the NBA G League. He played college basketball with the Boston College Eagles. He was selected by the Los Angeles Clippers in th ...
and Terance Mann in the backup point guard role. On December 8, with JaMychal Green
JaMychal Green (born June 21, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Green started his career in ...
hobbled and Patrick Patterson, Rodney McGruder, and Landry Shamet
Landry Michael Shamet (born March 13, 1997) is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Wichita State Shockers.
Early life
Shamet was born ...
sidelined Walton played his first meaningful minutes, posting a career-high 7 points and contributing to a win against the Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The team plays ...
. On December 31 ( New Year's Eve), he posted his first double digit scoring effort (10 points on 4-5 shooting) against the Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference Pacific Division. The Kings are the oldest ...
. On January 4, 2020, with Paul George
Paul Clifton Anthony George (born May 2, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "PG-13", he is a seven-time NBA All-Star and six-time member of th ...
joining Patrick Beverley
Patrick Beverley (born July 12, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Arkansas Razorbacks before spending three and a half ...
on the sidelines, Walton made his first NBA start against the Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference ...
.
On February 6, 2020, Walton was traded to the Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The team plays its home games at ...
in exchange for a protected 2022 second-round draft pick. He was waived immediately by the Hawks.
Detroit Pistons (2020)
On February 21, 2020, Walton joined his hometown team, the Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division and play their home games at L ...
, on a 10-day contract. He was not re-signed to a second 10-day contract.
ASVEL (2020–2021)
After spending pre-season with the Philadelphia 76ers, Walton moved to France in December 2020 to play for ASVEL
ASVEL Basket, commonly known as ASVEL or sometimes as ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne, and also known as LDLC ASVEL for sponsorship reasons, is a French professional basketball team that is located in the city of Villeurbanne, which is a suburb of Lyon, ...
until the end of the 2020–21 Pro A season.
Detroit Pistons / Motor City Cruise (2021–2022)
On September 28, 2021, Walton signed with the Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division and play their home games at L ...
. He was released by the Pistons the following month and he subsequently joined the Motor City Cruise
The Motor City Cruise are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Detroit, Michigan, and are affiliated with the Detroit Pistons. The Cruise play their home games at Wayne State Fieldhouse. The franchise began play a ...
of the NBA G League
The NBA G League, or simply the G League, is the National Basketball Association's (NBA) official minor league basketball organization. The league was known as the National Basketball Development League (NBDL) from 2001 to 2005, and the NBA De ...
. Walton averaged 13.8 points, 7.8 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game.[
On December 25, 2021, Walton signed a 10-day contract with the Pistons.] On January 1, 2022, he delivered a game-winning assist in overtime against the San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its home ...
that went between the defender's (Jakob Pöltl
Jakob Pöltl (sometimes spelled Jakob Poeltl; ; born October 15, 1995) is an Austrian professional basketball player for the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Utah Utes.
In his so ...
) legs to Saddiq Bey. During the game he posted six assists as well as NBA career highs in points (11), rebounds (6) and steals (4).
On January 4, 2022, Walton returned to the Motor City Cruise for the rest of the season. On January 5, he posted his first G League triple-double as well as the first in the history of the Motor City Cruise franchise with 20 points, 11 rebounds and a G League career-high 16 assists.[ Walton led the G League in assists for the 2021–22 season with a 9.5 assists/game average.
]
Sydney Kings (2022–present)
On July 5, 2022, Walton signed with the Sydney Kings in Australia for the 2022–23 NBL season
The 2022–23 NBL season was the 45th season of the National Basketball League since its establishment in 1979. A total of ten teams contested in the 2022–23 season.
Australian broadcast rights to the season are held by ESPN in the second sea ...
. On December 18, 2022, he scored 45 points in a 113–112 double-overtime loss to the South East Melbourne Phoenix
The South East Melbourne Phoenix are an Australian professional basketball team based in Melbourne, Victoria. The Phoenix entered the National Basketball League (NBL) in the 2019–20 season. The team play the majority of their home games at Jo ...
.
NBA career statistics
Regular season
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Miami
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
, 16 , , 0 , , 9.2 , , .320 , , .412 , , 1.000 , , 1.0 , , 1.0 , , .4 , , .2 , , 1.8
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", L.A. Clippers
, 23 , , 1 , , 9.7 , , .472 , , .429 , , .778 , , .7 , , 1.0 , , .2 , , .0 , , 2.2
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...
, 3 , , 0 , , 8.8 , , .333 , , .333 , , .0 , , .3 , , 1.7 , , 1.0 , , .0 , , 1.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...
, 3 , , 3 , , 36.0 , , .231 , , .231 , , 1.000 , , 3.3 , , 7.0 , , 2.3 , , 1.3 , , 6.3
, -
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 45 , , 4 , , 9.4 , , .406 , , .415 , , .867 , , .8 , , 1.0 , , .3 , , .1 , , 2.0
References
External links
Michigan Wolverines bio
Stats
at ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). Th ...
Stats
at CBS Sports
CBS Sports is the sports division of the American television network CBS. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on W 52nd Street in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on W ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Walton, Derrick
1995 births
Living people
Agua Caliente Clippers players
Alba Berlin players
American expatriate basketball people in Australia
American expatriate basketball people in France
American expatriate basketball people in Germany
American expatriate basketball people in Lithuania
American men's basketball players
ASVEL Basket players
Basketball players from Detroit
BC Žalgiris players
Detroit Pistons players
Los Angeles Clippers players
Miami Heat players
Michigan Wolverines men's basketball players
Motor City Cruise players
Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball)
Point guards
Sioux Falls Skyforce players
Sydney Kings players
Undrafted National Basketball Association players