Walk likes Gators' prospects

Before the emergence of Joakim Noah and Al Horford, before David Lee and Udonis Haslem and even Dwayne Schintzius, Neal Walk set the standard as the dominant big man in Florida basketball history.

It remains a difficult standard to reach. Walk still holds school records for career scoring average (20.8 per game), career rebounds (1,181) and career rebounding average (15.3).

Because Greg Oden and Kevin Durant are likely to go first and second in Thursday's NBA draft, Walk will almost assuredly hold his status as the highest drafted Gator in school history. Walk was taken second overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 1969 draft.

Had Noah decided to enter the NBA draft in 2006, he might have become the first Gator in school history to be taken No. 1 overall. But Noah stayed for his junior year, and with classmates Horford, Corey Brewer and Taurean Green, led Florida to a second straight national title.

Noah, Horford and Brewer will likely get picked in the top 10 in Thursday's draft, with Horford projected as high as the third overall pick of the Atlanta Hawks.

Here's how Walk evaluates Florida's big three:

"Brewer is probably the most ready. He's got a nice all-around game, great instincts and I think is really improving as an offensive player.

"Al Horford has a good low-post game, a nice jump-hook, some go-to moves. He's certainly strong enough to play at the NBA level. He'll get on with a team and do a nice job.

"Noah, whose upside is enormous, needs more work. His footwork near the basket isn't polished, but his heart is large and he runs the floor tremendously well. He's a worldly, likable kid. I was hoping the Suns would luck out and get a pick in the lottery so they could take him, but it didn't work out that way because the Hawks got a top-three pick."

Walk, who works in the Suns archive department, also had a chance to see Florida senior Chris Richard during a recent private Phoenix workout.

"I think Billy Donovan deserves a lot of credit in how he used all of his big men," Walk said. "Even a guy like Chris Richard, who didn't get a chance to play a lot, showed more game than what I expected from someone who came off the bench. It says a lot for how he developed at Florida."

Contact Kevin Brockway at 352-374-5054 or brockwk@gvillesun.com.