A strong sense of family draws ASU commit Kyree Walker
Phoenix Hillcrest Prep guard Kyree Walker didn’t expect to pledge to the school of his choice this early in the recruiting prospect. The 6-6 205 lbs. 2020 prospect was already regarded as one of the best players in his class and the list of suitors was guaranteed to grow starting with next month’s evaluation period and beyond. Nonetheless, the atmosphere Walker felt early on with the Sun Devils, was quite impactful and led to his decision on Friday afternoon.
“A few things led to this decision,” said Kyree’s dad, Khari Walker. “They made him feel like he was part of the family. That’s what my son liked about Coach Hurley and the other coaches. The opportunity to play for Coach Hurley and the competitor Coach Hurley is, it is unbelievable. Getting that competitiveness instilled in Kyree will get him to the next level.
“I had no idea that he would make a decision this early. It was up to him because he was the one that had to go and play for a school and study there. He told me that he was ready to get it (his decision) over with and Arizona State is where he wanted to go. So here we are.”
Walker played last year at Hayward (Calif.) Moreau Catholic, where he averaged 21.5 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists a game for the 25-10 Eagles, the state’s Division II runner-up. His performance that season earned him MaxPreps’ National Freshman of the Year honors.
Last month, Walker decided to transfer to Phoenix Hillcrest Prep, one of the top basketball programs on the West Coast, where Khari Walker was hired as an assistant coach. The proximity of the guard’s new school to the Tempe campus wasn’t a significant factor in his recruitment according to his father.
“We travel the country playing basketball,” Walker said. “This was more him going over to the school (ASU) seeing the place, researching the school and having a chance to sit down with the coaching staff and talking to quite a few of the players. He used to play with Remy Martin, who’s a freshman there.
“He’s just enjoying being part of the family.”
When Hurley was hired two years ago to head the ASU program, it was assumed that his pedigree and reputation as one of the best guards in NCAA basketball history would yield dividends in recruiting. True to that theory six four-star prospects have committed to the school during that period, and Walker is considered as one of the best prospects nationwide in his class. The guard’s father admitted that Hurley’s notoriety certainly resonated with his son.
“It was a huge factor,” Walker remarked. “The day that Kyree actually met him, I took him home and we pulled out a lot of Coach Hurley’s old games. So, Kyree had an opportunity to see him play. He saw the passion and how hard he (Hurley) competed. Kyree asked ‘that’s the guy?’ That really did it for him.”
To date, Walker received scholarship offers from Arizona and St. John’s. His explosiveness and agility are attributes that caught the eye of Rivals’ National Director of Recruiting, Eric Bossi.
“Even though he’s only a freshman, Kyree Walker is already a mixtape crowd favorite,” Bossi said. “He is bouncy near the rim, was very creative for himself and others off the dribble and looked more than comfortable taking deep jumpers. It’s quite early, but he’s on the early radar as a potential high-level prospect in 2020.”
Khari Walker said that his son’s versatility is the most dominant attribute of his game.
“He can play all five positions.” Walker described, “and he’s a very unselfish player. He loves making his teammates better. He loves getting his teammates involved. Coach Hurley made it sound that Kyree will be a key factor front the first moment and help the team reach the Final Four.”
Walker will suit up for adidas’ AAU club Desert Storm that will begin play on July 12th during the recruiting evaluation period.