words // Zac Dubasik
Despite becoming best known for his financial troubles, failed D-League comeback attempts, the shimmy, and 4-pointer quote, there was a time when Antoine Walker, a Chicago native, was a pretty good basketball player. ‘Toine was not only an NCAA Champion from his University of Kentucky days, but also a contributing member of DWade’s first NBA title with the Heat.
Walker’s last NBA season with the Timberwolves was forgettable, with career low production. But even with those numbers pulling him down, he left the League with career averages of 17.5 PPG and 7.7 RPG. And that’s in large part thanks to the strong start to his career.
Following his #6 selection in the 1996 NBA Draft (yep, the same Draft as AI and Kobe), Walker not only signed an adidas deal which would feature him as Employee #8, he even got a signature shoe in the AW8.
Today, in honor of his 38th birthday, as well as Chicago Week, we’re remembering Antoine Walker – aka, Employee #8. Check out the video below.
