Fresno State Athletics
In a Heart Beat
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Jan. 3, 2002
FRESNO, Calif. - Let's have a little fun. I was a 5-10 point guard in basketball from1986-1988. I played under two head coaches in Boyd Grant and Ron Adams. By starting the 1985-86 season opener as a sophomore transfer, I became the first guard "new" to the Bulldog program and the first to do so since Dan Pagliotti in 1978. I finished my career with a total of 319 assists, which ranks seventh best on the Fresno State top 10 list. Who am I?
If you haven't guessed who it is yet, it's Leo Walker. Leo Walker was born and raised in Natchitoches, La. He went to Natchitoches Central High School, where he was an all-state player. And Walker had a famous high school teammate, his distant cousin, Joe Dumars. Dumars played in the NBA for the Detroit Pistons, which won two NBA Championships. From there, it was on to Kilgore Junior College in Texas for a year. After his junior college coach took a job elsewhere, Walker left for Bulldog country. And has since never left the Fresno area.
Walker, who is 35 years old, feels his college athletic experience at Fresno State was some of the best times of his life.
"It was no like no other," Walker said. "I think that was one of the greatest times in my life and it all had to with t he camaraderie and friendships that I developed through the team and community."
What student-athlete wouldn't comment on the community's support of the athletics? As Walker said, "you don't find many towns of this size where people in the community have taken such a interest in the athletics."
The community really took Walker in. And for that he is very grateful. Walker believes that the relationships he developed throughout the community because of basketball were instrumental to where he is today. Today, Walker is a consultant at Morgan/ Stanley's.
The last time Walker played Division I basketball was in 1988. Back then Magic Johnson was the player every one wanted to emulate. Has the game changed since then?
"The athletes are so much bigger, stronger, faster," Walker said. "They are a lot more advanced at their age with the skills they have. They are able to do things you normally wouldn't see college guys doing."
He believes the game of basketball has changed since his day but he believes the concept of the student-athlete has not.
"No matter how things change they always stay the same. The athletes still have to go class and play basketball. Just today, there is a lot more TV and revenue to be made."
Walker does not play basketball any longer and the reason why may be surprising to some.
"A year ago I was diagnosed with a very rare heart condition. It is hereditary. The same type the late Hank Gathers of Loyola Marymount had. The good news was that I was diagnosed early." His heart condition changed his outlook on life. He values his time more because "you never know when it is going to be your time." He tries not to stress out about things or get too excited.
"You can't get caught up stressing about things you don't have any control over." Walker is now on the Board of American Heart Association to make people more aware.
Because of Walker's busy schedule, he hasn't found much time to make it to the games. Walker, who is looking forward to the Save Mart Center opening, is hoping Fresno State will donate an alumni section.
When asked what he wants to accomplish before he advances in his years.
"I want to see my daughters grow up and go off and do well in life. And I want to tap into my philanthropist side and start some type of foundation to give back to the community."
The most important thing in Walker's life today is his family. It is his greatest accomplishment to date. His family is made his wife Janee, whom he met in 1991 while she was working at the Fresno State Athletics Media Relations Office, and their two daughters, Alexis, 3 and Sydney, 1.
by Jennifer Smith