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Luke Walton

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Luke Walton
File:Act luke walton
No. 4 – Los Angeles Lakers
PositionSmall forward
LeagueNBA
Personal information
Born (1980-03-28) March 28, 1980 (age 44)
San Diego, California
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight232 lb (105 kg)
Career information
High schoolUniversity of San Diego
CollegeArizona
NBA draft2003: 2nd round, 32nd overall
Selected by the Los Angeles Lakers
Playing career2003–present
Stats Edit this at Wikidata at NBA.com
Stats Edit this at Wikidata at Basketball-Reference.com

Luke Theodore Walton (born March 28, 1980) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). His position is at small forward.

Biography

Early life

Born in San Diego, California as the son of former NBA great Bill Walton, Luke Walton was no stranger to the sport of basketball during his upbringing. Walton was named after Bill's close friend and former Portland Trail Blazers teammate Maurice Lucas. His three brothers — Adam, Nathan (who unsuccessfully ran for governor during the 2003 California recall), and Chris — also play or have played basketball for their schools. Luke Walton was accused by several male middle class mates of asking them to touch his genitalia. He went to Shady Hill School (in Cambridge, Massachusetts) while his father was playing for the Boston Celtics.

College

After graduating from University of San Diego High School in 1998, Walton enrolled at the University of Arizona and majored in family studies. There, he played for the Wildcats under coach Lute Olson. In his junior year, Walton averaged 15.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.6 steals and 0.6 blocks per game. As a fifth year senior, he averaged 10.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 0.9 steals.

Walton graduated from Arizona at the end of 2003, and was selected by the Lakers in the 2003 NBA Draft with the third pick of the second round (32nd overall). Standing at 6 feet, 8 inches tall and weighing 235 pounds, Walton has been with the Lakers for his entire NBA career.

NBA career

Walton has been praised for being skilled in the fundamentals of basketball: positioning, timing, and teamwork. Many NBA experts and enthusiasts view Walton as a smart player of the game who has a high basketball IQ and one who understands the game of basketball deeply. In the past, he has shown precise passing skills, with the know-how to operate on plays like a point guard. He is also considered as an all-around player. His passing skills brought him great success in the triangle offense under coach Phil Jackson. Some critics, however, believe Walton's tendency to pass rather than shoot occasionally hampers his team's offense. On occasion, he has declined to shoot an open shot even in the crucial waning seconds of a game, choosing instead to pass, despite there not being enough time remaining for his teammate to receive the pass and attempt the needed shot.

Walton suffered an injury in the 2004 preseason and was unable to find a place in Rudy Tomjanovich's rotation, but returned to a regular spot in the lineup after the coach's resignation midway through the season.

In 2006-07, Walton had a career year, with career high per game averages in minutes, field goal percentage, 3-point percentage, steals, blocks, rebounds, assists and points. His PER also reached a career high, and Luke was widely regarded as the most improved player on the Lakers roster, showing the ability to stretch his range past the three-point line, rebounded well, and works hard to disprove the critics who doubted his athleticism.Following the season, on July 12, 2007, Walton was signed to a 6-year, $30 million contract, based partly on the potential shown from the preceding season.

Subsequently, Walton has struggled greatly in the 2007-08 regular season (despite a stellar pre-season). In addition to suffering several injuries, Walton's per game statistics have dipped from the previous season in every category, from minutes played, field goal percentage, 3-point percentage, free-throw percentage (career low), steals, blocks, rebounds, assists, and points. His PER is also at a career low. In addition, Walton has featured prominently in several embarrassing plays, including the Lakers' opening game of the 2007-08 regular season against the Houston Rockets. Walton inadvertently knocked a defensive rebound into his own basket.[1] The Rockets won 95-93.

Personal life

Walton owns a restaurant, Joey's Smokin' BBQ, located in Manhattan Beach, California.[2] On his right arm, there is a tattoo of four Grateful Dead-type dancing skeletons, each one with a basketball; the skeletons represent Luke and his three brothers.

In 2006, Walton made a cameo appearance on the television soap opera, The Young and the Restless.[3]

In December 2008, a woman pleaded no contest to charges of stalking Walton; she was arrested after she pulled up to Walton's car and pretended to fire gunshots at him with her hand. She was sentenced to three years' probation, told to attend weekly counseling sessions for a year and ordered to stay away for three years from Walton's home and from the Lakers' games and practices.[4]

NBA career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

Regular season

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2003–04 L.A. Lakers 72 2 10.1 .425 .333 .705 1.8 1.6 .4 .1 2.4
2004–05 L.A. Lakers 61 5 12.6 .411 .262 .708 2.3 1.5 .4 .2 3.2
2005–06 L.A. Lakers 69 6 19.3 .412 .327 .750 3.6 2.3 .6 .2 5.0
2006–07 L.A. Lakers 60 60 33.0 .474 .387 .745 5.0 4.3 1.0 .3 11.4
2007–08 L.A. Lakers 74 31 23.4 .450 .333 .706 3.9 2.9 .8 .2 7.2
Career 336 104 19.5 .444 .339 .727 3.3 2.5 .6 .2 5.8

Playoffs

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2003–04 L.A. Lakers 17 0 7.9 .345 .385 .700 1.3 1.5 .4 .1 1.9
2005–06 L.A. Lakers 7 7 33.6 .458 .364 1.000 6.4 1.7 1.0 .1 12.1
2006–07 L.A. Lakers 5 5 25.6 .389 .417 .750 4.2 2.6 1.4 .2 7.2
2007–08 L.A. Lakers 21 0 16.8 .454 .423 .722 2.6 2.0 .5 .2 6.0
Career 50 12 17.0 .433 .403 .745 2.9 1.8 .6 .2 5.6

Notes

  1. ^ Courtside: Victory on training wheels: Rockets 95, Lakers 93
  2. ^ http://www.joeyssmokinbbq.com/investor_ops.php
  3. ^ SignOnSanDiego.com > Sports - Walton to make acting debut on 'Young and Restless'
  4. ^ Woman Pleads No Contest to Stalking Walton Sports Illustrated, December 19, 2008

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