Little Rock Coach Darrell Walker's Basketball Journey Brings Him Back to Illinois

A Chicago native and former backup to Michael Jordan, Walker has been all around the basketball world

Nov 23, 2022; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Little Rock Trojans head coach Darrell Walker during the second half at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images / Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

Some of the Midwestern old heads in attendance when Illinois (4-1) hosts Little Rock (3-3) Monday at the State Farm Center in Champaign may recognize a vaguely familiar figure prowling the sideline.

Maybe they'll remember him pacing another court, in Rockford, Illinois, back when the old Continental Basketball Association was still in operation. Or maybe he'll be recalled from his playing days, either many years ago at Corliss High School in his native Chicago or, more likely, when he closed the books on a very solid pro career in the best way possible – as an NBA champion, with the 1992-93 Chicago Bulls.

Another game, another opportunity.

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Darrell Walker has seen and done more than his share across a Zelig-like basketball journey that extended far beyond the Land of Lincoln, to Westark Community College in western Arkansas, Fayetteville, New York, Denver, Washington and Chicago – and then almost all the way back around again – before landing back in the Natural State, at Little Rock, where he is now in his seventh season as the Trojans' coach.

"Sometimes I have to pinch myself when I look back at my career and where I started," Walker said. "Basketball has been very good to me. It has allowed me to travel all over the world and meet some amazing people. This career has really blessed me."

It really is one heck of a basketball scrapbook Walker has put together: He played with Patrick Ewing at Madison Square Garden, ran himself ragged under Doug Moe's hyperactive Nuggets, joined forces with the towering Manute Bol and diminutive Muggsy Bogues (along with Hall of Famers Moses Malone and Bernard King) with the Bullets, had a turn with the Detroit Pistons' Bad Boys and, finally, in that '93 hometown swan song, backed up none other than Michael Jordan. After that, "Sky" Walker floated off into retirement with His Airness. Only one of them returned to the court.

Yet it didn't take long for Walker to get back to work, starting as an assistant coach with the Toronto Raptors in 1995. He took over as the team's head man a year later, starting another wayfaring basketball tour. Almost 30 years later, Walker is the only active coach with head coaching experience at the NBA, WNBA, Division I and Division II levels.

Two seasons ago, the Trojans won the Ohio Valley Conference as Walker was named OVC Coach of the Year, and this season he has a trio of Stretch Armstrong-style, do-everything guards – sound familiar? – in Mwani Wilkinson, Johnathan Lawson and Isaiah Lewis who will give Walker and the Trojans a chance to wreak havoc on the conference.

Do they have the potential to pull the rug out from under the Illini on Monday? It would be a massive upset. But after evertthing Walker has seen and done, you can't put it past him.

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