Destinee Walker
Destinee Walker is ranked 11th in the class and gives UNC one of the top perimeter scorers in the country. *Photo by Ty Freeman.
North Carolina picked up a big commitment recently when Destinee Walker of Ocoee, Fla., gave her verbal commitment to head coach Sylvia Hatchell. The 5-foot-9 sharpshooter made visits to Duke, Georgia and North Carolina and was also being recruited by Notre Dame and Penn State.
#CommitmentCentral: '15 Destinee Walker (FL) to North Carolina. No. 4 G, No. 11 overall. Was a 2014 #EBAAllAmerican. pic.twitter.com/mP00uvb4KH
— ProspectsNation.com (@ProspectsNation) September 29, 2014Walker, the No. 11 prospect in the 2015 ELITE 150, is the second player in the class to commit to the Tar Heels. She joins 5-10 wing Stephanie Watts of Wesley Chapel, N.C. Both players are ranked in the top 25 in the class.
In terms of fit both players are long perimeter players which will help fill the void of transfer Diamond DeShields and the pending graduation of current juniors Megan Buckland and NDea Bryant.
'15 ELITE 150 guard Destinee Walker.
*Photo by Chris Hansen.
Walker is one of the best shooters in the class while breaking the mold of the typical long-range specialist in that her quickness allows her to create a nightmare scenario for defenders in that she can go by them if they close out too hard on the perimeter defending the three. This combination makes her more than just a shooter but a real scorer.
Walker was selected to the 12-player USA Basketball U18 national team this summer. She won a gold medal with Team USA at the FIBA Americas Championships in Colorado this summer. She averaged 8.8 points in 17 minutes per game in five games, earning one start.
Playing with Central Florida Elite, Walkers scoring onslaught was undeniable. Despite sharing the backcourt with a top five scorer in the EYBL, Tennessee commit Tea Cooper, Walker averaged an impressive 15.5 points per game during league play. In those 10 league games she converted 42 percent of her 3-point attempts.
The thought of having Walker opposite of current sophomore Allisha Gray for two seasons with Jessica Washington at the point could prove difficult for help defenders.
Look for UNC to target post play with at least one of its remaining scholarships. With two elite wings on board the Tar Heel roster depth on the perimeter will be impressive. Follow @ChrisHansenPSB
