Q&A with the Newcomers: Marcus Walker

Marcus Walker does not lack confidence. The 6-2 freshman from Kansas City, who was rated among the top 25 point guards in the nation last year, believes in his abilities and is sure that he can make a difference for the Huskers at some point in his career.

 

As a rookie, he understands it may not be the same as last year when he averaged more than 30 points per game while leading his O’Hara High School team to the state title. He finished his career with more than 2,700 points, a K.C. metro area record. But being a newcomer on a team that already has several key returnees doesn’t mean Walker will believe any less in himself. That’s quickly seen when he’s asked who he thinks would win a 3-point contest among the current Huskers.

 

“I have to have confidence in myself, so I will pick myself,” Walker said. “If I get in a zone and get my confidence, I can get in a streak where I won’t miss for a long time. So I have to go with myself.”

 

Husker fans will not see a 3-point contest Friday, but those who make it to the DevaneyCenter for Husker Madness will see Walker and his teammates in a 20-minute, running-clock scrimmage and a dunk competition. For Walker, having his family so close at times like this was what made coming to Nebraska an easy choice.

 

“The players were big factors in choosing Nebraska, but I was also focused on staying close to home,” Walker said. “I have always followed the Big 12 schools, and I wanted to be close to home so my family could come up and watch me. It’s only a 2 ? hour drive and it’ll be good to have my family around while I play here.”

 

As the team got ready for Husker Madness and the official start of practice, Huskers.com caught up with Walker on Thursday and this is what he had to say:

 

H.C.: You open the regular season with the first public practice Friday at Husker Madness. How exciting is it to get back into the season?
MW: It’s really exciting. Basketball is one of the main things I really enjoy, so it will be nice. I’m getting used to the college game and the physical play, and it’s exciting for me because my family will be able to see me. It will be fun.

 

H.C.: Is it more physical than you expected?

MW: It’s more physical when you are going to the whole. Back home, I’ve played outside with grown men and it’s kind of the same, but the people here are stronger, they lift weights every day and are more physically in shape. It’s like a constant beat-down on your body and that’s what I’m trying to get used to right now.

 

H.C.: What will be people see from you on Friday?

MW: My enthusiasm. I am going to try to give the fans some excitement. I will play to the crowd, even though that’s not what I’m really here to do. But I like to play for the fans and make sure everyone enjoys the game. That’s my goal for Friday night, to have everyone enjoy our team and give everyone a warm welcome to our team. I’m glad to be here. We have an incoming class that’s highly ranked and that’s exciting too and they're glad to be here and ready to show people some fun things.

 

H.C.: This year’s team has a lot of speed. How will that help in the offensive game?

MW: It can give us a more up-tempo team. In practice we have been really focusing on getting the ball up the court fast and really trying to get as many fastbreaks as we can. I feel that the more practice we get moving up the court, that’s more points we can score and more points to outscore the other team. Hopefully we can make that transition and still be able to play defense. We run enough in practice that we should be able to do that kind of running in a game.

 

H.C.: Who will win the dunk contest Friday?

MW: I really don’t know but I have to pull for the K.C. boy (Chris Balham). All the way, win loose or draw, I have to pull for him. He’s my roommate.

 

H.C.:There are a lot of talented shooters on the team this year, but what will your focus be this year at Nebraska?

MW: With Joe McCray and Marcus Perry being such good shooters (from the outside), my main focus this year is to bring my speed to the game, penetrate and kick. I have to get my teammates into position. I know this isn’t like high school. Even though I am going to try to get a few points here and there, that isn’t my main focus. I am going to try to show the people who said before that I was just a scorer and not a team player, that there is more to my game and that was just high school. Now I’m trying to make a transition to the college game.

 

H.C.: What is the biggest difference for you from last year to this year?

MW: We have a lot more options here and I don’t have to be a scorer. We have Big Al (Aleks Maric) in the post and I’ve never had a big center like that on my team. Or Jason Dourisseau who slashes, Joe McCray who shoots the way he does even with people guarding him. My main focus now is to penetrate and kick out the ball, and score when it's there.

 

H.C.: When you were recruited, was it nice to know that you could earn playing time as a freshman and that the best five players will be on the court?

MW: That is a major plus. When you choose a school, I came to learn it wasn’t about the name of the school, but about your opportunity. College is college. If you can play, you are going to get looked at. If you work hard, somebody will see you. Nebraska is just a place where I felt I could come in and play a little. Everyone in the state was nice when I was here last season, and I felt like it was another home.

 

H.C.: To compete at the top level of the Big 12, what do you need to improve?

MW: My defense. Man-to-man my defense has been good up to this point but it’s more like when people come and set a screen, knowing when to go under or over the screen, and things like playing help defense.  In high school, they taught you to help to a certain extent, but not like how much you help here. So I think it’s just my overall defense. After that, it’s knowing who to get the ball to and what position a player can score from.

 

H.C.: What will be a good season in your eyes?

MW: I set personal goals and I keep them to myself. But as a team player, my goal is to do anything I can to help the team win. My vision of this whole year is to help in any way to get this team to the NCAA Tournament. That is my main goal. In high school I had goals every season and God helped me throughout, especially my whole last season to win state and get here. I set high goals for myself and as time goes on I’ll know more about my position (on the team) and that’ll make my personal goals higher. Right now it’s just to help get us to the NCAA Tournament.

 

H.C.: Coach Doug Novsek now works with the point guards. What has it been like learning to play at this level?

MW: It’s been great. Back home in K.C. I go out and practice for hours by myself and go to gyms and play pick up, but here he’s teaching me how to shoot again. Back home, I thought I was a good shooter because I hit high percentages from the field and line last year, but when I came here he brought my shot up a little higher so it wouldn’t get blocked, and helped my elevation for me to get higher. He is just teaching me the right footwork to get the ball and release quicker. I think working with Coach Novsek will pay off in the long run because I’m learning something every day. Even if it’s one simple thing, that’s another goal is to learn every day.

 

H.C.: Right now you are a general studies major but will move into fashion design after your freshman year. Was having that unique major a selling point for you to come here?

MW: It was a big one. In the Big 12, KansasState and Nebraska had real good fashion programs, about the only good ones in the Midwest period. When I really started focusing on where to go to school, that was the main decision I had to make was whether to go to a school and focus on basketball and don’t do what I really want to do (in school), or go to a school and get the best of both worlds. I felt coming here and visiting with the fashion department and seeing what they will teach me, it really helped me in the decision to come here. I want to own my own business down the road and I don’t want to be the guy sitting behind the counter who doesn’t know anything about what I’m selling. If I do something, I want to do it all the way right.

 

H.C.: When did your interest in fashion design start and what did your friends think?

MW: In middle school is when I got interested and really started to focus on clothes. For the most part, people outside my friends said things like, “That’s not something for dudes” but as time went on, I found out there were other people who wanted to get into it as well. I had other guys come to me who said “I wanted to do that, but I thought it was something a boy wouldn’t do.” I think it was something a lot people want to do but were nervous to do it. A lot of people back home say I’m unique so it was no big deal for me to do it.

 

H.C.: Who will be the best dressed Husker on the road?

MW: I will be. We have 19 home games, but I will have a different combination each road game. I’ll have different suits each game. When I do go on the road, I’ll dress it up.

 

H.C.: Who is your favorite musician?

MW: Rich the Factor. He’s a local rapper from Kansas City.

 

H.C.: Do you play any instruments?

MW: No, I’ve never even been in the band. But I can beat-box.

 

H.C.: What is your favorite food that your mom makes?

MW: Baked chicken and rice

 

H.C.: Who on the team cracks you up the most?

MW: Joe McCray because he just says random stuff and is funny. And B.J. Walker too.

 

H.C.: What is your dream ride?

MW: I don’t have a dream ride. My car right now is 1989 Chevy Caprice and I want to get it fixed up.

 

H.C.: If you could invite any three people to dinner, living or dead, who would you invite?

MW: God, my mother and probably Michael Jordan.