MaxPreps 2016-17 National Girls Basketball Player of the Year: Megan Walker

Video: Megan Walker - Player of the Year
See more about the top girls basketball player in the nation this season.

When Megan Walker was a sophomore, Monacan (Richmond, Va.) had a one-point lead with six seconds left in the Virginia state semifinals with Walker at the free-throw line. She missed, and Fleming (Roanoke, Va.) rebounded, hit the outlet pass and had a guard streaking down the court for a game-winning layup.

Walker had tried to grab the rebound, but turned and sprinted up court, trailing the play – but not for long. As the shot went up, the 6-footer came out of nowhere, elevated, blocked the ball out of bounds and saved the win.

"I didn't even know she was in the vicinity," Monacan coach Larry Starr said.

The next game, Monacan won the state championship – its first of three straight.

* * * * * Walker's road to the MaxPreps 2016-17 National Girls Basketball Player of the Year began much sooner. In fact, her father Keith said he knew she was something special at age 2.

"She would stand at the top of the stairs and I would throw her a Nerf ball," he said, "and she would catch it and throw it back."

Since Keith came from an athletic family, he told his wife "She has some Walker athleticism."

"Some" turned out to be an understatement. She played basketball, baseball and softball growing up, and was exceptional at all three, but as happens with most young athletes, there came a time she could no longer do all three.

"I switched over in seventh grade," she said, "because there were weekend tournaments in softball and basketball, and I couldn't go to both. I had more friends in basketball, and when I started in AAU, I had to choose."

Luckily Starr and Geno Auriemma, who will bring Walker on at the University of Connecticut next year, basketball was the final answer.

* * * * *

One of the biggest games for Monacan this season was against No. 22 Norcross (Ga.) in the championship of the Crescom Bank Holiday Invitational in South Carolina.

"She was unbelievable," said Starr. "We were down one with time running out, she got an inbounds pass and was hammered – and made both free throws."

The 57-56 win propelled Monacan into the Top 10 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Girls Basketball Rankings presented by the Army National Guard, where the Chiefs have remained since.

* * * * *

Starr first heard about Walker from University of Richmond coaches, so he thought he would go take a look.

"I walked into the gym for a middle school game," he said. "And the (University of) Virginia and Richmond coaches were watching, too."

A lot of people have been watching since, including those from USA Basketball. Walker has represented her country internationally – which has furthered her game even more.

"It's another level," she said. "A notch up from high school and AAU."

So naturally her impact in high school was immediate, and this past season she was clearly the focal point of the offense.

"We want her shooting the ball 25 times a game," Starr said. "But what made us good was that we had four other players who could score."

Still, when it came time to make the big play - Walker was the one.

* * * * *

"We were down 11 in the fourth quarter," Starr said of the 2017 state title game against King's Fork (Suffolk, Va.). "There were about 7,000 people there, and they were going crazy."

Walker responded by scoring the last 16 points for Monacan, including the game-winner with three seconds left.

"I was trapped and we called timeout," she said. "So we ran a play that was a post-up for me. We ran it to the wrong side, actually."

It didn't matter. Walker fought through a triple team, and finished her high school career with yet another game-winning play.

* * * * * Now she's off to UConn, accepting the challenge of playing for the most dominant program in college sports, and playing for the most demanding coaching staff in the game.

"I don't want an easy ride," she said. "The only way you can get better is to struggle."

And so far, the struggle has paid off – a 104-7 record at Monacan, three straight state titles and this year's MaxPreps 2016-17 National Girls Basketball Player of the Year award.

And there's very likely much more to come.

Past MaxPreps National Players of the Year
2016 – Sabrina Ionescu, Miramonte (Orinda, Calif.)
2015 – Ali Patberg, Columbus North (Ind.)
2014 – A'ja Wilson, Heathwood Hall Episcopal (Columbia, S.C.)
2013 – Diamond DeShields, Norcross (Ga.)
2012 – Breanna Stweart, Cicero-North Syracuse (Cicero, N.Y.)
2011 – Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
2010 – Chiney Ogwumike, Cy-Fair (Cypress, Texas)
2009 – Skylar Diggins, South Bend Washington (Ind.)
2008 – Nneka Ogwumike, Cy-Fair (Cypress, Texas)
2007 – Maya Moore, Collins Hill (Suwanee, Ga.)
2006 – Jacki Gemelos, St. Mary's (Stockton, Calif.)