The development of Chris Walker may take longer than expected, even if the ceiling is higher than most.
Casual fans who expected Walker’s 12-point performance against Alabama on Tuesday to be the electricity that lights the bulb of potential that dwells within the sophomore were more than likely disappointed that Walker disappeared against Arkansas in Florida’s 57-56 win over the Razorbacks on Saturday.
After scoring 12 points on 6-of-8 shooting against the Crimson Tide, Walker tallied a lone point against Arkansas.
Coach Billy Donovan said the decrease in production and minutes is relevant with Walker’s individual work ethic.
For now, Donovan emphasized that people will need to be patient with Walker’s development.
"It’s a process with Chris Walker," Donovan said. "You think all of a sudden the Alabama game is going to ignite him into Kevin Garnett, it’s like not happening. He didn’t take a step back. He didn’t play a great game, he didn’t have a lot of minutes. I don’t know if he took a step back, that’s who he’s always been."
When Walker isn’t getting the looks he wants under the basket, he tends to drift away from the basket. When that happens, he no longer affects the game in a positive way.
Figuring out how to benefit the team without the ball is just the next step in Walker’s staircase of basketball growth.
A player who has recently figured out how to impact the game when his shot isn’t falling is junior Michael Frazier, whose free throws gave the Gators a victory when it seemed like they had blown a sizable lead in the final minutes.
Donovan said that previously when Frazier’s shot hasn’t fallen, he has drifted away and become down on himself.
But Frazier has recently put himself in position to score and expand his game, like he did when he grabbed the offensive rebound that led to the foul and subsequent game-winning free throws.
"The thing I was most pleased about with Frazier is, Michael Frazier, when he has not made shots, has allowed that to consume him," Donovan said. "When you’re a player and you go into a season, and you’re looking at a team that’s lost four starters from a year ago, you’re looking at yourself as being ‘OK now I’m a junior, I’m the only starter coming back from last year’s team, I need to do this, I gotta be the leader, I gotta make shots, I need to do all these things.’ And you never, ever, ever as a player factor in adversity. And I would say that he had given zero thought to the struggle and the adversity this year he was gonna face this year. And that’s his struggle right here and now."
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Chris Walker dribbles during Florida's 57-56 win against Arkansas on Saturday in the O'Connell Center.
