SAN ANTONIO — December 3, 2019 was a simpler time. Nobody had really heard about Zoom or covonavirus, and a packed crowd at the AT&T Center was watching the Spurs take on Houston.
The game did not start well for San Antonio, and particularly for second-year player Lonnie Walker IV. He had been in on a short leash or in Gregg Popovich's doghouse for much of the season, unable to surpass the defensively inept Bryn Forbes and Marco Belinelli in the rotation due to mistakes that 20-year-old players tend to make.
On this night, however, Coach Pop gave Walker an encouraging pat after a series of bad plays, keeping him in the game. Pop probably knew that he had to let Lonnie play through some errors and missed bunnies because Forbes and Belinelli had no hope of containing James Harden and Russell Westbrook. Walker, however, did.
Throughout the game Walker played spectacular defense against the two league MVPs, staying in front and forcing (and contesting) tough perimeter shots for the most part. That proved to be important later in the game. Both shot under 30% for the game, though Harden notched probably the ugliest 50-point game in NBA history, with the only competition being another of his games with over 20 free throw attempts. He also dunked a ball so hard that it confused the refs and the basket didn't count.
To this point in the season, Walker had played just 6 minutes per game. Forbes had played about seven times more total minutes, Belinelli about four times more, and even DeMarre Carroll got more burn in the early season.
After struggling to solidify his role in the rotation and being publicly chastised by Popovich for his effort, Walker got extended run against that star-studded backcourt and wound up shining brighter than both of them combined.
In fact, he got some of the most extended run for a Spur in recent memory. Popovich put him back in the game with about four minutes left in the third quarter and the Spurs trailing by 17. He played all 26 minutes after that, all the way through the final ticks of double overtime.
Before we get there, though, we have to talk about his exhilarating fourth-quarter performance where singlehandedly outscored the Rockets 19-18 in a dazzling comeback.
He clamped up routinely, leaked out in transition for dunks and threes repeatedly, and completely took over on both ends in the final minutes of regulation. He heard how much the Rockets love those high-efficiency looks, so he crammed a few down their throats to chip away until suddenly the deficit was just 6 with under a minute left.
Harden tossed one of his 16 missed threes in the game, Lonnie found the corner in transition, and Patty Mills hit him for a shot, which he drained without so much as a wave from the defense in a far away land.
Next he had to guard James Harden, who could have essentially ended the game with any points. Walker gave him nothing, forced him into a contested deep three, and ran down the court when that shot missed.
One of the best moments of the Spurs' season came next.
With the shot clock off and San Antonio having 15 seconds or so to find a three for the tie, Patty Mills already knew where it was. He excitedly called for Walker to come up to the wing, and tossed him the game about 28 feet from the basket. Time almost stopped when Lonnie decided he wanted it all right then and there, and let the shot fly.
"I think what really helped me out was Patty," Walker said when asked about that play a year later. "If you watch during that, Patty's telling me to come. I was actually gonna go straight to the corner and let DeMar or Patty do their thing for the final shot, but it was Patty who kinda gave me that confidence to shoot it. He was like, 'come on, you done brought us back,' so as soon as he handed it off to me my mind was already made, I knew what I wanted to do, and thank God it went in, because if it hadn't shoot, Coach Pop would've chewed me out. I think that's just something that I'm willing to live with as a man, knowing that I did that, miss or make, that's just who I am."
It was the kind of range and moxie you'd expect from Steph or Dame, a superstar-shooter shot that he made for all the marbles.
"Naturally (my thought) was to shoot it, that's who I am," he said. "I'm not a person to shy away from the bright lights. If the opportunity is presenting itself, I'm gonna do it."
Walker stuck the shot, screamed about it, and though he couldn't keep up the scoring pace in OT, he made a few key plays to help San Antonio complete the comeback.
After that, his role got a bit bigger. He played 16 minutes per game in December and January, then up to 19 in February and August. He went on to shoot 41% from three on the season, the best mark on the team, and he'll need to keep that up and increase his volume this season. He still made mistakes though, and Pop kept yanking him for them throughout last year.
It was just one game, but that moment told you everything you need to know and more about Lonnie Walker. He's confident, and special, and a two-way difference maker. Pop and the coaching staff expanded his role a bit, but not enough to turn the season around. Between that game and the hiatus, Walker played a touch more than Belinelli and a little more than half as many minutes as Forbes.
Unsatisfied with the results from turning the wheel that slowly, a change was made for Disney after months of reflection.
Walker started in the bubble, and figures to have a prominent role given the injuries to guards and the departure of Forbes and Belinelli. All of that shows that Pop and the front office have learned from the failures of last season.
The loud, large contingent of fans who said Walker should play more were dubbed "shut-ins" before staying home was the public health guidance, and they turned out to be right. Now, it seems the decisionmakers on the team agree that it's time to bet on the explosive 21 year old.
Even back to his days in Austin, Walker was confident and set high expectations for himself. He once told me before a game in Cedar Park that he wants to be one of the best players in the NBA, so today I asked him about his journey so far and his progression toward that long-term goal.
"I'm pretty confident about it," he said. "I'm excited, I really worked my tail off this offseason, this is probably one of the hardest offseasons I've had in a while. Day in and day out I was putting my heart and my soul into the court. After the bubble I took about three days off and started my Year 3 back up, so I haven't really taken a break."
He's done part of that work with new Milwaukee Buck Jrue Holiday, one of the league's more underrated two-way guards. Lonnie mentioned that he met Jrue as a kid when he was a larger-than-life Sixer, and getting tips and praise from someone who he looked up to as a kid is special.
One of the main skills he's worked on in the offseason is ballhandling, which he said he felt needed improvement after watching tape from the bubble. He still needs to improve at finishing through contact, but if he can shake guys before meeting them at the rim it should help his percentage there.
"I'm hungry, I'm humble, but more than all I'm starving, I'm ready to play and show who Lonnie Walker is."
After two years of paying his dues and earning the trust of his teammates and coaches, he'll finally have the chance to do that for a whole season.