Sam Walters is eager to show what he can do at Michigan: 'I can really do everything on the floor'

The former Alabama forward is entering his first season with the Wolverines and is ready to show what he can do on the court.

Alabama forward Sam Walters (24) is defended by Connecticut guard Hassan Diarra (10) and forward Alex Karaban (11) during the Final Four semifinal game at State Farm Stadium. / Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY

Nine scholarship players on the 2024-25 Michigan men's basketball roster will have come from Dusty May taking over the program. The former FAU coach landed six transfers and three high school prospects to help shape his roster for the upcoming season. Familiarity seems to be a theme with how May landed most of these prospects and that theme continues with Alabama transfer, Sam Walters.

Walters comes to Michigan after spending one season with the Crimson Tide. As a sophomore, Walters has a tall, rangy frame at 6-foot-10 and is able to play multiple positions. He's listed as a forward but has the capability of playing three positions. Walters was recently on the Defend the Block podcast and he spoke on why he came to Michigan after one season with Alabama. May's playing style and familiarity with players and the coaching staff were a couple of big reasons.

“Yeah, I could have obviously came back to Bama for my second year," started Walters. "I had a good opportunity there, but I was just looking for a fresh start, something that was going to be new. And then I chose Michigan because I felt like the play style really suits me. I mean, I've known Tre Donaldson since I was in seventh grade as well. So that was like a really attractive piece that he was a guy that I've known for a while and a point guard that I know I would play really well with. And then coach May, like all the coaches I've been connected with since I was younger. So that built relationship over years, really helped me in my process. And I feel like they pushed me to be the best I can be.”

Welcome to Ann Arbor, @SamWalters2023! 〽️✍️#GoBlue pic.twitter.com/eP5LM8uGby

— Michigan Men's Basketball (@umichbball) April 23, 2024

The Wolverines brought in several wings such as Roddy Gayle Jr., Rubin Jones, and May was able to secure Nimari Burnett for another year. May also was able to bring in two big men in Vlad Goldin and Danny Wolf. But Walters has a completely different skill set than all of them. Being 6-foot-10, most of his shot attempts from last season came from catch-and-shoot attempts. He has that in his game and the ability to play down low with his size. He felt like he was a perfect fit.

“Yeah, I feel like I'm the type of player that this coaching staff and this style needs with our shooting and then our downhill drives," Walters said. "Drivers like Roddy [Gayle] and Tre, Rubin [Jones], all those guys, and even [Danny] Wolf when he penetrates. So I feel like I fit perfectly with the guys that we've already brought in. And I was one of the later guys that ended up committing here, but I just looked at the roster and I felt like there's a place that my position was really needed. So that was one of the main things coming in that I feel like I can help our team. And I know the guys, some of these guys coming in, I've had respect for everyone on this team before. So I feel like we can be a really good team. And I want to go somewhere where I can get back to a Final Four and win a national championship.”

Being just a true freshman last season, Walters will bring something to the table that most Michigan players don't have -- a Final Four run. The Crimson Tide did just that last season before losing to UConn. Walters averaged over 12 minutes a game last season and can bring that winning mindset to Ann Arbor. He hopes to help some of the younger players from his experiences.

“Yeah, no, I think it's good just because I know like what a Final Four team looks like. And so does a majority of our staff with FAU. And that's obviously our goal here. So I think I can help carry that with us. And I can help some of the younger guys. A lot of our older guys came from winning programs, too, which is cool. But I can help some of our younger guys just be an everyday guy. That's one of the main things I learned as a freshman is just being an everyday guy and how to carry yourself on a really elite team. Like we got to compete every day and get better and just focus on growth, not results.”

Walters is hoping to make a bigger impact with the Wolverines in 2024-25. He hopes to play in more games and average more minutes with his goal of playing in the NBA. He said he's been working on being more versatile and he wants to show that on the court with the Wolverines.

“Yeah, I just want to show that I'm versatile," Walters said. "I can really do everything on the floor. I can shoot, dribble, and pass. And I also want to show that I can guard multiple positions. I feel like I showed flashes of that last year, but I want to keep showing that and keep showing my improved ability to defend. I want to be a really good defender in this league.”

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