The SEC Network announced Friday that they have hired former Kentucky Wildcats star, NBA All-Star, and NCAA champion Antoine Walker as a studio analyst for the 2016-17 college basketball season.
Walker, who part of the memorable 1996 UK championship-winning team, will make his on-air debut on November 11, the opening night of the upcoming hoops season. He will be in-studio for SEC Now.
“Antoine has reached the pinnacle of basketball achievement at both the collegiate and professional level. His unique perspective and knowledge of both the conference and the sport will be an excellent addition to our SEC Now show,” said ESPN senior coordinating producer Tom McCollum.
In addition to a memorable two-year career at UK, Walker was drafted by the Boston Celtics as the sixth pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. While in the NBA he was an NBA All Rookie First Team (1997) and a three-time NBA All Star (1998, 2002, 2003). In 2006 he won an NBA Championship with the Miami Heat.
Walker was inducted into the UK Hall of Fame Class of 2015. He averaged 15.2 points and a team-best 8.4 rebounds on the 1996 national title team while being named to the 1996 NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team.
Walker was also a Two-time All-SEC Tournament Team member and earned SEC Tournament MVP honors after leading UK to the 1995 league tourney title. He finished his UK career with 806 points and 450 rebounds in just two seasons.
Walker joins a roster of returning basketball commentators that includes fellow UK alumni Tony Delk and Kyle Macy.