Antoine Struggles in First Pre-Season Game

Antoine Walker's First Year in Green
6/25/96

No matter the source, the word out of Kentucky on Antoine Walker never wavered: The kid has fantastic talent, but you sometimes have to prod the greatness out of him.

On Saturday night in Houston, Charles Barkley provided that service to the Celtics rookie. After Walker drifted through a 1-for-10 first half, Barkley spoke up.

"I think he was more aggressive in the second half," Barkley said. "I got on him about it. I told him the Celtics were counting on him a lot. I told him that when you get drafted that high (sixth overall), they expect you to get into the lineup and play.

"Right now I think he's a little tentative. A lot of rookies are a little tentative right now."

The true test for Walker will be how he responds after he gets his talented head handed to him a few times. Barkley lit him up for 14 points in 20 minutes in the Rockets' 113-97 victory. Walker made just one of his first 14 shots before canning four of his last five (11 points). Much of the time, the rookie looked to be groping for a handle to his game.

The fact he does not appear to yearn for stardom leads NBA observers to question how good he will become.

"He's got great skills, and he sees the floor like a point guard," said one NBA executive of Walker. "But he isn't really athletic - he doesn't get off the ground too well - and you have to wonder how much he really wants to compete. There are times that I look at him and see Billy Owens."