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Friday, March 29, 2024
<p>Senior Erving Walker overcame his 5-foot-8 stature and a crowded backcourt to finish as UF’s career leader in assists with 547. He recorded 12 points and seven assists in his final game, Saturday’s Elite Eight loss to Louisville.</p>

Senior Erving Walker overcame his 5-foot-8 stature and a crowded backcourt to finish as UF’s career leader in assists with 547. He recorded 12 points and seven assists in his final game, Saturday’s Elite Eight loss to Louisville.

PHOENIX — Before all of the wins, the trips to the Elite Eight and the record-setting performances, there was a time when Erving Walker questioned becoming a Gator.

Florida was fresh off an NIT season in 2008 and there was little room in UF’s crowded backcourt — even for a 5-foot-6, 140-pound freshman out of Middle Village, N.Y.

With starting point guard Nick Calathes already entrenched in Florida’s lineup and backup Jai Lucas still in the fold, Walker was heading into a situation in Gainesville as the least-touted of three guards and also — on paper — the least physically gifted.  

“I think a lot of people told Erving that this would be a bad fit,” coach Billy Donovan said. “Too much depth, too many guards, you need to re-open your recruitment.”

In order to keep Walker, Donovan thought he would have to make another last-ditch sales pitch on behalf of the Gators. When the pair finally talked about Walker’s future at Florida, Donovan pleasantly realized he was wrong.

“He was great,” Donovan said. “He just basically said, ‘Coach, wherever I go, I have to compete. And I have no problem competing and just want an opportunity.’”

In Walker’s four years playing at UF, Donovan recalled the conversation as the one moment that will always impress him the most about Walker’s character and work ethic.

While others might point to Walker’s game-winning shots, starting on back-to-back Elite Eight teams or his school-record 547 career assists as his finest achievements as a Gator, the unique understanding Donovan found with Walker — as only a player and coach can have — is something both grew to cherish.

Twenty-seven years ago, Donovan was in the same situation as Walker – questioning his future as an unheralded point guard at Providence and asking his former coach Rick Pitino, who is now at Louisville, if he needed to look at other colleges.

When Pitino realized that no other team wanted Donovan — who had grown out-of-shape and complacent after a year on the bench — the coach convinced him to stay and lose weight during the summer.

“He came back in awesome shape, was the third guard on the team that year.  The following year he got so good,” Pitino said. “I’ve never had in my life anyone work as hard to improve as him, in 35 years. … That was the start of his college legend.”

In his senior year, Donovan started at point guard and guided Pitino’s Friars on an unlikely run in the 1987 NCAA Tournament that ended in the Final Four.

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On Saturday, Walker’s own record-breaking college career finished deep in the tournament, just a game shy of Donovan’s ultimate achievement as a player.

While losing to his good friend and mentor was bittersweet for Donovan, it was nothing short of heartbreaking for Walker, whose final stat line read 12 points, seven assists and just two turnovers.

 “We had a great journey and it’s tough to get to the Elite Eight and we did that and I’m proud of these guys for it,” Walker said. “But we wanted to get to that Final Four and contend for a title. Almost doesn’t count when you’re right there.”

As Florida’s lone senior and perhaps its only offseason departure pending Brad Beal’s decision to either stay at UF or enter the NBA Draft, Walker could already painfully see a future without him on the team for the first time in four seasons.

Walker has played in the second-most games in Florida history and has seen more minutes on the court than any Gators player since 1975.

He ends his career fourth in all-time scoring, second in 3-pointers made and in the top-10 in six other statistical categories.    

“I think this program is still on the uprise,” Walker said. “They have a lot of great players.  And I think coach Donovan will continue to do a great job and I think they’ll get to the Final Four next year.”

While all of those moments and accomplishments will be hard to leave behind for Walker, perhaps the toughest will be going forward without Donovan in his life day after day.

When asked about the impact his coach had on him during the last four years, Walker finally broke down.

“He means a lot. A great male figure in my life. He helped me in so many ways as an athlete,” Walker said before having to pause. “And just as a person.”

Contact John Boothe at jboothe@alligator.org.

Senior Erving Walker overcame his 5-foot-8 stature and a crowded backcourt to finish as UF’s career leader in assists with 547. He recorded 12 points and seven assists in his final game, Saturday’s Elite Eight loss to Louisville.

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