The goal for Cameron Walker from a young age has been to play basketball for as long as possible. Earlier this year, the former Turlock High and Stanislaus State standout was able to lock in additional time on the hardwood by traveling overseas and testing his talents at the professional level.
After a summer of seeking out opportunities, the 22-year-old Walker landed a contract with Hatis Yerevan in the Armenia Basketball League A in early October. Since arriving in Armenia, the 6-foot-1 point guard has made an immediate impact, averaging 20 points per game on a sharp 75% shooting from the field through the club’s first three games of the 2015-26 season.
‘It’s been a wild ride getting here and getting acclimated to everything, but it’s been an amazing experience so far,” Walker said. “I’ve been thinking about the possibility of going pro for the past few years. I mean, I’ve put in so much time in the gym, and coaches and trainers have dedicated so much time to me, I just felt like it would’ve been a disservice if I didn’t explore any type of opportunity as long as I still have the ability to play.”
In his professional debut on Nov. 1 against Erebuni, Walker scored 29 points, while grabbing three rebounds and handing out two assists.
“I played against Division I guys at Stanislaus State, and even when I was in junior college, some guys I went up against went on to play D-1, so I knew I could play with the best,” said Walker, who played for the Warriors the last two seasons and spent the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons at Porterville College.
Walker appeared in 53 career games for the Warriors, starting 40. He averaged 5.5 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game while shooting 35.0 percent from the field, 33.9 percent from three-point range, and 72.5 percent from the free-throw line. He was also recognized for his work in the classroom, earning a place on the NABC Honors Court.
A four-year varsity player at Turlock High from 2017-21, Walker was a three-time team captain, two-time team MVP, and 1,000-point scorer who graduated as the school's second all-time leading scorer. He averaged 13.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game as a Bulldog.
Despite a move across the globe, with the support of his parents, the decision to continue playing was easy for Walker.
“They both actually really encouraged me to keep playing,” Walker said. “They've known that I’ve wanted to keep playing and just try to ride this out for as long as I can, which I’m super grateful for. The message was like, ‘If this is your dream and this is what you want to do, do it, because another opportunity may not come.’ So that support means everything to me.”
Represented by the agency Hoop Ticket, Walker was initially lined up to sign a professional contract in Sweden, but a coaching change on the interested team prompted the organization to move in a different direction.
With Hatis Yerevan, Walker joined Darrin Martin of Virginia and TJ Doman of Oregon as other first-year Americans playing overseas.
“They're looking out for me, I'm looking out for them, so we’ve been having a good time,” Walker said. “As for the on-court adjustments, it was really about coming over here and figuring out how different the game is and trying to find that happy medium of how aggressive to be and how to move around under the different regulations.”
Through the team's first handful of games and after seeing how his talent has stacked up against the professional competition this far, Walker has hardware on his mind.
“The awards are very similar to college and other pro leagues, where you have your league championship and your all-league first team and second team,” Walker explained. “After seeing how we’ve been able to match up against some of the other teams early on, I’m confident that we have a chance to win the whole thing.
“In terms of individual goals, I’m definitely trying to push for some exposure on the Euro Basket (news website), get some of those honors and get my name out there across Europe. There are bigger leagues out there, so it’s all about showing what I can do right now, and we’ll see what other opportunities come my way.”
