Player: Lewis Walker
School: Winston Salem Christian
Class: 2024
If you rewind back years ago, North Carolina fans were treated in watching Jayden Gardner at Heritage high school. The forward was a double-double machine and was one of the top players in the state, eventually averaging 20.0ppg and 11.6rpg in 114 games at Heritage.
Though, if you remember, he wasn’t one of the highly-touted prospects recruited by college programs, eventually committing to East Carolina. Well, he proved everyone wrong, as he has been dominant again throughout his college career and is now doing so in the ACC.
Many looked at his size at 6’6 in high school and if he could be a true forward at the next level… Gardner proved everyone wrong.
Now, fast forward to today, 2024 Lewis Walker gives me those same type of vibes that Gardner did and there are several similarities in their games. They are both standing around 6’6, have a sturdy frame, and have shown that they can produce at a high level so far in their high school career.
Walker is a very intriguing forward with his body, his unique skillset, and his production at such a young age against big-time talent. He has shown that he can be effective in the paint, finishing strong in the post and through contact, but also put the ball on the floor and operate. And he does it on a consistent basis, as he has been averaging 16ppg and 6.0rpg so far this season. He recently showed that this past weekend at the Tyler Lewis HS Hoopfest, where we had this to say about Walker’s game:
“It’s easy to appreciate everything Walker does for this Lions squad, especially given his seemingly nonstop production on both ends of the floor. He’s extremely skilled and polished, especially for his size, and possesses the versatility to cause a ton of problems for opponents. Walker is too strong for most opposing wings and far too skilled/fluid for opposing forwards. His blend of IQ, mobility, and adaptability makes him a legitimate nightmare for opponents.“
There are a lot of similarities when you look at Gardner’s game and Walker’s game, especially with the production both provided in high school. Now, Walker’s recruitment seemingly has taken off a little more than Gardner’s did, already holding offers from North Carolina A&T, Wake Forest, and Ohio already.
Now, Walker still has a chance to grow more into his body, get taller, and develop his game, so only time will tell and things could change. However, looking at those two players as of today, you can see that these two have a lot of similarities as players.