Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, July 22, 1994 TAG: 9407220118
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: SEATTLE LENGTH: Medium
Walker took over as president and general manager of the Sonics on Thursday, replacing Bob Whitsitt after Whitsitt's stormy summer departure from the franchise that he ran for eight seasons.
Walker, 40, takes over a team that had the league's and the franchise's best record of 63-19 last season before collapsing against the Denver Nuggets in the playoffs.
Walker has experience winning championships. He led the University of Virginia to its only ACC Tournament title in 1976, and he played for NBA championship teams with the Portland Trail Blazers in 1977 and Seattle's 1979 NBA title club.
``There's no question about it,'' he said at a news conference. ``A championship is a realistic goal for us, and that's the only way for us to be thinking.''
After working as a basketball consultant to the Sonics for the past six weeks, Walker gave up a promising investment business in San Francisco to return to Seattle. He played for the Sonics for five seasons.
Sonics owner Barry Ackerley gave Walker a five-year contract. Its terms were not disclosed.
Bill Ackerley, Barry's son and president and chief operating officer of Ackerley Communications Inc., said Walker was the only candidate interviewed.
``Wally's his own guy,'' Bill Ackerley said. ``He's not here to follow in anybody's footsteps. He's here to do what's best for the organization. I think he'd rather succeed than put his stamp on everything. Succeeding is more important to him. He's not into making changes for changes sake.''
The Sonics have been in turmoil since their season ended with their stunning first-round playoff defeat after they had won the first two games of the five-game series.
Whitsitt, NBA executive of the year, then asked Barry Ackerley to release him from the final three years of his five-year contract, and the Sonics eventually let him go. Led by All-Stars Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton, the Sonics figure to be one of the NBA's top teams again next season. They also have Kendall Gill, Detlef Schrempf, Sam Perkins and Nate McMillan.
The Sonics expect to sign Schrempf to a contract extension, possibly within the next week. And they traded with Golden State this week for Sarunas Marciulionis and Byron Houston.
by CNB