'20 FL SF Corey Walker (Committed 3/3/2019)

#80
#80
cncchris33 said:
I like Tyler Smith as a better Tennessee comparison.
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along the same lines, I think Harris/Smith were similar style games, but Harris had a much more refined perimeter game as does Walker...unless I’m misremembering (very possible) Smith rarely if ever shot from more than 18’
 
#81
#81
bleedingTNorange said:
along the same lines, I think Harris/Smith were similar style games, but Harris had a much more refined perimeter game as does Walker...unless I’m misremembering (very possible) Smith rarely if ever shot from more than 18’
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Smith mildly developed his range over time at Tennessee. He actually attempted 96 3s as a JR, and 203 for his career. Shot 38% as a SO, but only on about 37 attempts. He was never a good shooter from 3, which, along with his poor decision making off the court, prevented him from a shot at the NBA. However, Tobias wasn’t much better in his one season. He shot 30% in his only season while Smith shot 29% over 3.5 seasons. Tobias has improved his perimeter game as a pro, which is probably why he’s viewed as having a more refined shot. It wasn’t really true during his season at Tennessee.

Walker is similar to Smith in every way, except that he is probably is a slightly better perimeter shooter right now, though that is hardly his bread and butter. He is much more comfortable inside 15 feet, and that is where he does most of his damage. He can defend, dribble, pass, drive, and score. His perimeter game is still a work in progress, and has just really developed over the last year.

Physically, Tobias was quite a bit thicker than Walker at the same age, and an inch or two taller. Smith was much more physically comparable.

But, yes, the three of them share a few similarities altogether.
 
#83
#83
I ran into Corey’s dad at Cross Roads Elite Invitational Basketball camp in Indianapolis a couple weeks ago. My son was camping there and Corey’s younger brother was as well. I saw the one guy with the Power T hat on and went up and said go Vols and gave him a fist bump. We started talking and he told me who he was. Pretty cool guy and they are excited about his son coming to UT.
 
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#86
#86
Last week’s NBA Player’s Association Top 100 camp was loaded with talent, talent that included plenty of Tennessee targets and one prominent Volunteer commitment in five-star forward Corey Walker Jr. Walker (6-foot-7, 205 pounds) gave the Vols a verbal commitment back in March after making two unofficial visits to Knoxville in the span of two weeks. He’s held firm to that commitment. He had a strong spring on the travel circuit, earning a slight bump in the rankings up to No. 24 in the Class of 2020. He did nothing at last week’s camp against elite competition to suggest that ranking isn’t deserved.
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Walker’s early decision means that he hasn’t had to worry about anything but basketball this offseason. Unlike many of his peers last week, who were swarmed by media members looking for updates on what their recruiting situation looked like, Walker was able to fly under the radar a bit and let his game do all the talking. “It’s really a great feeling. I’m glad I got my decision out of the way early. I don’t have to worry about people always asking me questions about where I’m going,” Walker said. “I talk with the coaches all the time, at least two times a week. We have some great conversations, usually for about 10 or 15 minutes. It’s not all about basketball, we actually talk more about school and just life in general. I’ve built a real strong relationship with the whole staff there.”
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Walker made the decision this spring to transfer schools and he’ll spend his senior year at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Va., where current newcomer Devonte Gaines spent a prep year before arriving in Knoxville this summer. That decision was fueled by a desire to play against, and with, better competition and it’s also a high level academic institution. When Walker does arrive in Knoxville he’ll have a shot at filling the same kind of role that two-time SEC Player of the Year Grant Williams has held down for the past three seasons. Walker is a little more versatile offensively at this stage of his career, particularly with his perimeter game, but both players can do a lot of the same things on the court. Walker is a very fundamentally sound player offensively for a prospect his age and he’s really improved his ball handling and the range on his shot over the course of the past year.
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“I still talk to Grant Williams some time. I think he and I have some similarities. I can see myself doing a lot of the things that he did plus hopefully a little bit more as far as handling the ball and my outside game. He is a great player, those are big shoes to fill,” he said. One area where he hopes to mimic Williams’ career in Knoxville is in the dramatic improvement he made from his freshman season, turning himself from a completely unheralded prospect into a potential NBA first-round pick. “I know that Grant turned himself into a great player while he was there,” Walker observed. “He got better every year and that really shows me what they can do to your body and how much better you can get as a player if you’re willing to put in the work.” With five-star Josiah James headlining the incoming 2019 class, another five-star in Walker already in the boat for 2020 and the very real possibility of landing No. 34 ranked Keon Johnson in August and potentially others.
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Rick Barnes is in the process of assembling an impressive collection of talent on the Vols’ roster. Being a part of the process has Walker excited for what the future may hold. “With the recruits that they brought in this year and then with me and hopefully a couple of other guys in this class I think we have a chance to really do something special,” Walker shared. “They’ve had a couple of great seasons these past two years and I feel like it’s only going to go up from here. I think we do big things, on the level of programs like Duke and Kentucky or anybody.”
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-vQ
 
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#89
#89
The Dog said:
Absolutely love Walker. Corey sticks, then we add Keon, PJ and now, I'm picking Hayes to reclassify and be our PG for the '20 class which completes UT best class ever
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Would love to add Springer to this to round out a five man class. I won't speculate how we would get there, but man that would be an absolute dream class.
 
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#91
#91
804VOL said:
Would love to add Springer to this to round out a five man class. I won't speculate how we would get there, but man that would be an absolute dream class.
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That would be an excellent class. Still think they need an athletic BIG(Rim protector/Rebounder).
 
#93
#93
Roustabout said:
Kid is 5 star and has been bumped up in rankings.
A bump deserves a bump.
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I guess because Walker committed without a lot of fanfare, his status has flown a little under the radar. Hard to believe we have a five star type player coming in with only a few pages of discussion. For all the well deserved hype around Keon and the possibility of Springer and Hall, I think Walker may be the best of the bunch once it is all said and done. His game is so impressive for a high school player. Exciting times around Knoxville and a needed distraction from the football forum.
 
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#95
#95
bleedingTNorange said:
I think Rivals actually dropped him to a 4 star in their newest update
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Yeah, he fell from #21 in May to # 24 in August, and then another 8 spots in like 3 weeks in their most recent update a few days ago. Odd that they would do an update so soon after their August update.
 
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#96
#96
cncchris33 said:
Yeah, he fell from #21 in May to # 24 in August, and then another 8 spots in like 3 weeks in their most recent update a few days ago. Odd that they would do an update so soon after their August update.
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I could be wrong, but I truly feel his drop is because he went to Hargrave and didn’t play AAU...I think seeing other guys caused analysts to move them up and not seeing Walker it was an easy move for them. I don’t take it as meaning much on Walker.
 
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#97
#97
bleedingTNorange said:
I could be wrong, but I truly feel his drop is because he went to Hargrave and didn’t play AAU...I think seeing other guys caused analysts to move them up and not seeing Walker it was an easy move for them. I don’t take it as meaning much on Walker.
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I agree. He hasn't gotten worse. And in the end, if he is the perceived "worst" player in our class, we are doing this thing right.
 
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