FSU basketball: MJ Walker Finding His Footing After Florida State

Florida State is where wing players excel. Head coach Leonard Hamilton gives them the chance to develop to prepare them for the professional level—several wing players who came from Florida State who are making a name for themselves. Despite not playing in the NBA, MJ Walker is another wing who has made a name professionally after college. 

From 2017-2021, the Florida State Seminoles were at the tip of their game. They continued to assert themselves as one of the top teams in the country while winning an ACC Regular Season Championship. At the height of their success, MJ Walker was a huge contributor. The coaching staff believed in him as he showed his value nightly. 

Seminole fans will tell you that Walker was one of their favorite players to watch during his run with Florida State. Why is that? Because he played with a burst of energy and quickness with his first step. When Walker ran the floor on the fast break, fans at the Donald L Tucker Center always anticipated a high-flying dunk. You can also say that Walker’s football career in High School played a role in his athleticism on the basketball court. 

As Walker’s college career continued, he developed into a terrific all-around player. Offensively, he was a gifted scorer off the bounce who did a great job creating for himself and his teammates. Walker did a great job moving without the ball, being a great spot-up shooter while also coming off screens and firing off the catch-and-shoot. Walker’s constant movement always took the defense away from their game plan. He always initiated switches with the defenders that often gave him mismatches to score effectively. 

Walker averaged a career nine points per game to go with two rebounds and 1.6 assists during his time with FSU basketball. Throughout his Florida State tenure, he had several highlight moments where he stood out as the best player. Walker scored 20+ points in seven games during his college career and played a pivotal role down the stretch of games. 

After college, there were questions regarding MJ Walker’s future. Many NBA Draft experts didn’t have him high on their list while some didn’t believe he would be selected. Unfortunately, Walker went undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft. However, he still found a way to the league as he signed a two-way deal with the New York Knicks and their G League affiliate, Westchester Knicks. 

Walker has been known as a journeyman throughout his professional career. He has bounced from one team to the next and was in search of a permanent home. It didn’t matter whether it was in the NBA or overseas, Walker just wanted to play the game of basketball. Luckily, he found one during the 2024 season in the NZNBL in New Zealand. 

The Canterbury Rams were the team who took a chance on Walker. It’s safe to say that the coaching staff believed in him and understood his ceiling as a player. With that being said, Walker had the best season of his professional career. He continued to be a force on offense with his shot creation and playmaking. As the season progressed, Walker continued to emerge as one of the best scorers in the league. The stats showed for themselves as well as he recited multiple 20+ point games that included a 41-point performance against the Tuatara Whai. 

It was a great season for MJ Walker to shine. His professional career got off to a slow start he’s finally on track to become a productive player and has shown he can take over an offense. As Walker has continued to shine, the rest of the world has taken notice. Walker’s growth as a player all began at Florida State. Playing under coach Hamilton helped him grow as a player as well as prepare for what was ahead.