Regardless of the W/L record, try to enjoy watching Derrick Walker this year

[Norm Peterson]

Just some advice from an OG.  I told people a few years back that a kid as talented as Terran Petteway doesn't come along very frequently for us and to enjoy the ride (the year of No-Sit Sunday.) Well, we're seeing another once-in-a-generation kind of effort from Derrick Walker in 4 games so far this year. And if his performance keeps up like this, I will confidently tell you that you won't see another guy like him in a Husker uniform in maybe another generation.

 

I went back and watched the extended highlights from Creighton again. What he did against Creighton was special. Kalkenbuglewhatever is a GOOD player. A very good player. He's long, he's very talented, he's experienced. Derrick Walker abused him.

 

And, let's be clear: It wasn't just some lucky shots that were falling. Derrick was playing his game. The shots he was taking are very much in his arsenal. If he continues to play his game and doesn't let the hype get into his head, I think we could be witnessing something historic for a Husker player.

 

I'm saying it now: We have not had a big man in a Husker uniform that was as talented as Derrick Walker since Aleks Maric, and Derrick probably beats him in a footrace.

 

You probably have to go back to senior year Venson Hamilton to find a Husker big man who was better.

 

No matter what happens with the team, try to enjoy watching Derrick Walker. This could be a season for the ages.

[throwback]

I saw someone compare him recently to Andre Smith. I was pretty young when Smith was playing, but he may have had a bit more of a mid-range jumper than Walker has?

 

Both of them were/are undersized for the position they're playing, so I see the reason for the comparison. I do remember Smith being incredibly strong, so that portion of the comparison I believe would be spot-on as well. Walker is so strong, defenders rarely can knock him off balance. He finishes through contact incredibly well and doesn't give up rebounding position.

 

Smith was Big 8 player of the year his senior year, so Walker certainly isn't going to duplicate Smith's list of postseason honors. Maybe that alone makes the comparison unfair to a player as great as Smith was, but Walker's game is impressive.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Andre Smith 1981

Dave Hoppen 1986

Rich King 1991

Venson Hamilton 1999

Aleks Maric 2008

Derrick Walker 2023

 

The six best Nebraska centers in my lifetime.

[millerhusker]

52 minutes ago, Norm Peterson said:

 

I'm saying it now: We have not had a big man in a Husker uniform that was as talented as Derrick Walker since Aleks Maric, and Derrick probably beats him in a footrace.

 

Said that two years ago and it wasn't received well. DW is one of my favorite Huskers of all time. 

[aphilso1]

I'd quibble and say that Maric was better than DW.  DW is more efficient, but Aleks dealt with constant double teams as the team's sole focal point.  Aleks also went off for 41 and 37 points on separate occasions, which I don't see Walker as capable of doing.  Maric was also a far better rebounder.  Saying you have to go back to Venson's senior year to find a better big man is short changing Aleks.

[49r]

16 minutes ago, Norm Peterson said:

Andre Smith 1981

Dave Hoppen 1986

Rich King 1991

Venson Hamilton 1999

Aleks Maric 2008

Derrick Walker 2023

 

The six best Nebraska centers in my lifetime.

 

I mean Brandon Ubel's senior season was pretty decent (despite playing on a horrible team).  And I know people love to hate on Wilhelm right now but I could see him developing into a pretty serviceable big man by the end of his time here like Brandon.

[Norm Peterson]

1 hour ago, aphilso1 said:

I'd quibble and say that Maric was better than DW.  DW is more efficient, but Aleks dealt with constant double teams as the team's sole focal point.  Aleks also went off for 41 and 37 points on separate occasions, which I don't see Walker as capable of doing.  Maric was also a far better rebounder.  Saying you have to go back to Venson's senior year to find a better big man is short changing Aleks.

 

The big knock on Maric was that he kept missing all kinds of bunnies. That was a giant criticism of him at the time. Along the lines of Brian Diaz doesn't dunk.

 

Walker doesn't miss bunnies. He's shooting over 70% from the floor. Last year, he almost averaged 70%, and his sophomore year, he was 60%. So, this is not an aberration or a lucky 4-game run.

 

Maric's best season he shot 57.5%.

 

That's why I take Walker in a footrace.

[Norm Peterson]

1 hour ago, aphilso1 said:

I'd quibble and say that Maric was better than DW.  DW is more efficient, but Aleks dealt with constant double teams as the team's sole focal point.  Aleks also went off for 41 and 37 points on separate occasions, which I don't see Walker as capable of doing.  Maric was also a far better rebounder.  Saying you have to go back to Venson's senior year to find a better big man is short changing Aleks.

 

OK, so you can go back 15 years to find someone as good. Or go back 23 years to find someone arguably better.

 

Either way, this kind of player doesn't come along very often in a Husker uniform, and we should appreciate the rarity of what we're seeing.

[Norm Peterson]

Another thing I want to mention about Derrick Walker, and if you haven't had the opportunity to attend a game, you wouldn't have seen this:

 

While he was recovering from his health issue, Derrick didn't just sit there and sulk. Whenever Wilhelm or Blaise came out of the game, or during a media timeout or what have you, I watched Derrick's interaction with his proteges. He was coaching them up regularly. During timeouts, if they were pulled from the game and weren't sitting in the huddle, Derrick would take them aside and you could just see by the way they were interacting that he was explaining something to do with how to be a better player. For example, he'd demonstrate throwing his elbow a certain way and you could tell he's explaining how to establish position. And Blaise is attentively watching him and nodding and absorbing it.

 

You don't always see that, so it's kind of noteworthy when you do.

[Silverbacked1]

Did anybody else see Blaze totally hang on Derrick after he came out of the BC game. It started as a hug but Blaze was totally spent and DW just held him during the whole time out. 

[hskr4life]

27 minutes ago, Norm Peterson said:

Another thing I want to mention about Derrick Walker, and if you haven't had the opportunity to attend a game, you wouldn't have seen this:

 

While he was recovering from his health issue, Derrick didn't just sit there and sulk. Whenever Wilhelm or Blaise came out of the game, or during a media timeout or what have you, I watched Derrick's interaction with his proteges. He was coaching them up regularly. During timeouts, if they were pulled from the game and weren't sitting in the huddle, Derrick would take them aside and you could just see by the way they were interacting that he was explaining something to do with how to be a better player. For example, he'd demonstrate throwing his elbow a certain way and you could tell he's explaining how to establish position. And Blaise is attentively watching him and nodding and absorbing it.

 

You don't always see that, so it's kind of noteworthy when you do.

 

Speaking of reliable Big Men-- am I crazy to think that we'll be in good hands with a BK, Oleg 1-2 punch the next few years as well?  Have been pleasantly surprised with Blaise.  Not that he's lighting the world on fire... but for the little things.  Coachable, plays within himself, does the little things right, smart BBall IQ, etc.

[aphilso1]

30 minutes ago, Norm Peterson said:

 

OK, so you can go back 15 years to find someone as good. Or go back 23 years to find someone arguably better.

 

Either way, this kind of player doesn't come along very often in a Husker uniform, and we should appreciate the rarity of what we're seeing.

 

Not "as good" 15 years ago.  Better.

 

Using career stats, Maric had a higher per game average for points, rebounds, FT%, offensive rebounds, defensive rebounds, and blocks.  Walker leads in 2pt%.  Maric was superior to Walker in 6 of the 7 stats that you want your center to dominate in. 

 

Using a best season vs best season comparison is more difficult, because Walker's current year clearly looks like it will be his best in many statistical categories but it is a tiny sample size thus far.  Even still, the only stat that changes to Walker's favor using this method is offensive rebounds (Maric averaged 4.0 his senior year compared to Derrick's current pace of 4.3 through 4 games).

 

Looking at more advanced metrics shades the analysis even further in Aleks' favor.  His career Win Shares was 19.4 compared to Derrick's current 5.3.  That is particularly impressive when considering Maric played with zero NBA teammates and Derrick has played with multiple.  Lastly, one of my own personal favorite stats for a big man is # of free throws attempted.  Why? Because a big man that is shooting free throws is putting the other team in constant foul trouble and helping his team win.  Aleks averaged 5.6 FT attempts over the course of his career, with a career high of 7.2 his junior year.  Derrick's career high was last year at 1.9 and his career average is 1.1.  

 

I like Walker a lot.  But Maric >>>>> Walker.

[Norm Peterson]

Best in 15 years is still noteworthy.

 

I agree Maric drew a lot of fouls. Drew a LOT of fouls. That was one of his best attributes.

 

But I'm saying look at what he's doing this year and if he keeps it up, this will be a season for the ages. One guy like this every 15 years or so? You better freaking enjoy it.

[aphilso1]

2 hours ago, 49r said:

 

I mean Brandon Ubel's senior season was pretty decent (despite playing on a horrible team).  And I know people love to hate on Wilhelm right now but I could see him developing into a pretty serviceable big man by the end of his time here like Brandon.

 

Ubel's senior season was good but nowhere near on par with the other big men mentioned in this thread.  Maybe if he had redshirted his freshman year, and had a fifth season of eligibility, we might have gotten a chance to see a special season.  But that didn't happen and his senior was certainly not up there with DW's current year, Aleks' junior and senior years, or Venson's senior year (or heck, even Venson's sophomore and junior years).

[aphilso1]

20 minutes ago, hskr4life said:

 

Speaking of reliable Big Men-- am I crazy to think that we'll be in good hands with a BK, Oleg 1-2 punch the next few years as well?  Have been pleasantly surprised with Blaise.  Not that he's lighting the world on fire... but for the little things.  Coachable, plays within himself, does the little things right, smart BBall IQ, etc.

 

I haven't seen enough of Oleg to have an opinion one way or the other, but I agree on Blaise.  He seems to be very smart and teachable, and has a good baseline skillset to work from. How odd to think that after decades of struggling to find a servicable big, that center is the one position we have covered already next season.

[Huskerpapa]

Here may be a wrench in the gears...fouls...perhaps more to the point; the inconsistancy of refereeing.  Dw tends to use his strength (correctly so) when going to the basket.  He puts his chest into the body of the opposing big.  That is textbook big man play.  BUT, certain refs don't like that contact, and will blow his whistle.  I hope this plays out in our favor this year.

[hugh42]

2 minutes ago, Huskerpapa said:

Here may be a wrench in the gears...fouls...perhaps more to the point; the inconsistancy of refereeing.  Dw tends to use his strength (correctly so) when going to the basket.  He puts his chest into the body of the opposing big.  That is textbook big man play.  BUT, certain refs don't like that contact, and will blow his whistle.  I hope this plays out in our favor this year.

 

I don't think you will have to worry about offensive fouls from DW when he is in the post as he isn't really banging on his defender. It's a subtle nudge into the chest that's hardly noticeable and he seems to have perfected it. But you are correct, keeping him out of foul trouble will be big the rest of the season.

[hhcmatt]

Absolutely. Enjoy the great ones in the moment as they're often gone too soon.

 

[cipsucks]

5 hours ago, Norm Peterson said:

Andre Smith 1981

Dave Hoppen 1986

Rich King 1991

Venson Hamilton 1999

Aleks Maric 2008

Derrick Walker 2023

 

The six best Nebraska centers in my lifetime.

 

Chuck Jura needs to be added to the list.  I'd put him above King and Maric. But that's just me.  Good takes, Norm.

[Huskerpapa]

Other centers that should be given consideration are

- Carl McPipe

- Mikki Moore

- Kimani Ffriend

- Derrick Chandler

I am with Cip in that Jura needs to be added.  Bottom line, I want to see the full body of work prior to putting DW in my upper five or six, but if he continues to play as he has, he could easily join the top five.

 

 

Edited December 6, 2022 by Huskerpapa

[Silverbacked1]

We have to add LeRoy Chalk to that list…

 

GIVE IT TO LeRoy is the first cheer I can remember

[Cazzie22]

3 hours ago, Huskerpapa said:

Other centers that should be given consideration are

- Carl McPipe

- Mikki Moore

- Kimani Ffriend

- Derrick Chandler

I am with Cip in that Jura needs to be added.  Bottom line, I want to see the full body of work prior to putting DW in my upper five or six, but if he continues to play as he has, he could easily join the top five.

 

 

Carl McPIpe was a favorite but does anyone remember Willie Campbell on the great 1966 team?

[Cazzie22]

1 hour ago, Silverbacked1 said:

We have to add LeRoy Chalk to that list…

 

GIVE IT TO LeRoy is the first cheer I can remember

From Big Sandy, Texas.

[Faux Mike Peltz]

10 hours ago, Norm Peterson said:

Andre Smith 1981

Dave Hoppen 1986

Rich King 1991

Venson Hamilton 1999

Aleks Maric 2008

Derrick Walker 2023

 

The six best Nebraska centers in my lifetime.

Left off: Moses Abraham 2015

Dan Heimos 2003

Christopher Niemann 2009

Surgej Vucetic 2012

And the GOAT: Andre Almeida 2010

 

 

[Silverbacked1]

5 minutes ago, Faux Mike Peltz said:

Left off: Moses Abraham 2015

Dan Heimos 2003

Christopher Niemann 2009

Surgej Vucetic 2012

And the GOAT: Andre Almeida 2010

 

 

I I believe that would the Tapir, sir!