NBA Draft: Could Lonnie Walker IV be the dynamic guard the Bucks need?

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CHICAGO, IL – MAY 15: (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) /

After experiencing a rather uneven freshman season at the University of Miami this year, Lonnie Walker IV is making the jump to the next level by having declared for the 2018 NBA Draft.

Going down the one-and-done route, University of Miami guard Lonnie Walker IV officially declared for the 2018 NBA Draft after the Hurricanes were upset by the University of Loyola-Chicago in the first round of this year’s NCAA Tournament.

The first one-and-done prospect in the program’s history, Walker’s one and only season with Miami didn’t have the impact the Pennsylvania native would have liked, especially after being a five-star recruit and the 16th-best recruit of players in his class, per 247 Sports.

After being sidelined for most of the offseason as a result of tearing the meniscus in his right knee over the summer, Walker expectedly started the year off the bench for the Hurricanes as he worked his way back up to form.

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As it turned out, Walker’s injury would be just one of many hurdles Miami would have to navigate throughout the season.

Once cleared to take on a bigger workload under Hurricanes head coach Jim Larranaga, Walker was inserted into the team’s starting lineup less than a month after the start of the season.

From there, Walker displayed the lottery pick potential he’s been tagged with and assumed the leadership mantle for the Hurricanes, especially after the loss of fellow guard and draft hopeful Bruce Brown, who missed the final 12 games of the season after undergoing surgery on his left foot.

When reflecting on his season in Miami this year with Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic, Walker surmised that all the trials and tribulations he faced throughout the campaign was one big learning experience for him:

"“[The meniscus injury] was definitely a big deal, but my grandmother, we lead by faith,” Walker said. “She’s a huge follower of God, and day in and day out we always prayed at night, in the morning, whenever I need help. … But it was always positive vibes. And I always take everything like it’s adversity. God’s going to continuously knock you down. It’s always how are you going to get back up and get better as an individual.”"

So without further ado, let’s break down Lonnie Walker’s game, both his strengths and weaknesses, see how he’s currently rated by draft experts and examine his potential fit with the Milwaukee Bucks.

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