https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/player/_/id/4433745/sakima-walker

very limited action at South Carolina

sorry SAKIMA

https://instagr.am/p/DI6_Cw2vneN

Welcome to Cal, Sakima!!

Great news!!!

Interesting player. Played for Rutgers for two years, then went to JC for a year with outstanding results, and then went to South Carolina. Looks like her JC year did not count as a college eligibility year, and then she must have also received an extra Covid year while at Rutgers. So this will be her sixth post-high school season. Some great comments on her background from the South Carolina site:

Prior to South Carolina

• Named NJCAA D1 Player of the Year in 2023 after averaging 16.7 points and 8.2 rebounds, scoring 20 or more points 10 times and posting 13 double-doubles in her 32 games
• Led Northwest Florida State to 2023 NJCAA National Championship in her lone season with the Raiders, earning Tournament MVP honors with 19.1 points and 8.7 rebounds per game over the seven-game event
• Paced NWF to its fifth-straight Panhandle Conference Championship in 2023
• Began her college career at Rutgers, playing in 32 games over her two seasons

High School

• Ranked the No. 7 post player in the Class of 2020
• Drew Player of the Year honors from Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association and District 10 Basketball Coaches Association as a senior
• Earned first-team all-state and all-district honors in her career and was a three-time first-team all-city selection
• Led Africentric Early College to back-to-back Division III Ohio State Championships (2019, 2020), including a perfect 28-0 record in 2018-19
• Part of three city championships, three regional titles and three district championships

an exciting development! kind of like Marta Suarez came from a. high profile school, but didn't have great stats so was a pretty unknown /unproven player, but turned out solid....I think we'll have to wait and see with Sakima's impact but I think it could be a great fit. I'm not expecting her to be Lauren betts but I'll take a hungry center who has practiced with dawn staley chipping in 12 & 7 a game.

Her opening statement on the Instagram post announcing the commitment says: "This one's personal".

So, maybe some redemption needed on the court next season for a lack of playing time at South Carolina. hmmm.

I love to see it! Go Bears!!!

I love this addition! Especially after the long silence.

With her size and experience she should get plenty of playing time at Cal. To me it looks like her previous stats were limited mostly by lack of playing time (except for academic honor roll, which I appreciate).

SFCALBear72 said:

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Her opening statement on the Instagram post announcing the commitment says: "This one's personal".

So, maybe some redemption needed on the court next season for a lack of playing time at South Carolina. hmmm.

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Looks well coached. Positions well for rebounding and for getting entry passes.

Interesting situation at Rutgers. Coach Vivian Stringer retired in 2022 and quite a few of the players left, their 2022-2023 roster shows only 8 players.

Regarding South Carolina, this from Gamecock Scoop on March 02:

Her (Raven Johnson's) teammate Sakima Walker also could return for one more year, but through a different loophole. Walker spent one year at a junior college, and due to the NCAA's ruling that JUCO years do not count against eligibility after Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia filed a lawsuit, Walker also could return for another year.

But after averaging just over two minutes per game this season as the last player on the bench plus the reality of this being her fifth year in college it is possible Walker will just decide to move on.

Regarding high school, this from ESPN:

Nike Nationals-July 2019: Athletic post performer offers soft touch in the key, elevates and creates spacing over defenders in the paint; a defensive presence in the paint, alters shots; superb in transition game, a rim runner; potential! (Olson)


Boo Williams Invitational-April 2019: Athletic front court performer with length, wingspan, shot blocking presence; superb in transition; emerging offensive arsenal, quickness in the paint leads to an impressive prospect with off-the-charts potential; rapid progression of ability and a stock-riser in the class of 2020. (Olson)

We really just need size. Twidale and Morris are going to be great at the 1-2. We have wings. We only have Abigor down low.

This seems like a crucial first step. Snag two more post (or post adjacent) players and I'm feeling good.

CalFanatic said:

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We really just need size. Twidale and Morris are going to be great at the 1-2. We have wings. We only have Abigor down low.

This seems like a crucial first step. Snag two more post (or post adjacent) players and I'm feeling good.

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I'd like two forwards who can shoot, pass, and defend away from the basket.

I am reading that Walker entered the portal with a "Do not contact" listing. That means she knew where she was going already, and didn't want to have to respond to others. Good to see we are not shying away from being aggressive like our competitors.

This is a great pickup!

If SC recruited her they must have seen something and she played against top players in practice

She didn't get a lot of minutes in her 4 years, but she had a good shooting percentage on low volume shots, and had some strong rebounding games. Her length will be key as a rim protector

HoopDreams said:

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This is a great pickup!

If SC recruited her they must have seen something and she played against top players in practice

She didn't get a lot of minutes in her 4 years, but she had a good shooting percentage on low volume shots, and had some strong rebounding games. Her length will be key as a rim protector

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Her stats per minute are compelling.

stu said:

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CalFanatic said:

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We really just need size. Twidale and Morris are going to be great at the 1-2. We have wings. We only have Abigor down low.

This seems like a crucial first step. Snag two more post (or post adjacent) players and I'm feeling good.

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I'd like two forwards who can shoot, pass, and defend away from the basket.

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I think Sakima will help us attract those players.

Plus, you have two guards who can really shoot the ball particularly 3's, Lulu and Puff. That's why good passers are essential.