The graduate senior took time before her last college basketball game to appreciate people who make Ohio State games possible.
Sunday night, Ohio State women’s basketball ended another season in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament. Rewind a few hours and Buckeye fans huddled in the various rotundas and foyers of the Schottenstein Center to protect themselves from the downpour outside. Some players were on the court taking shots before pregame warmups while team managers practiced their rebounds, layups, and half-court shots.
Graduate senior forward Eboni Walker took a lap around the main concourse to each red coat (the ushers and security around the stadium) and presented them with a thank you card. Each with a hand-written thank you on the back for supporting her through her three years at Ohio State.
Some shook her hand and others took selfies with the Las Vegas, Nevada high school grad playing in her final home game in Columbus, Ohio.
“In a way, I kinda understand what it feels like to put in a lot of work,” said Walker. “All you need is a little thank you or a hug. This year I dedicated every game that I could beforehand to just take a lap around the arena to just really appreciate the people that are around you that help it run, the people that turn on the lights, the people that clean it, the people that keep us safe, come on the court, just little things like that.”
Walker is humble when she says she understands. If anything, Walker epitomizes the mindset of putting in hard work and not always being appreciated for it.
When the forward transferred to Ohio State, her work was not as well known on the East Coast. Walker won the 2019 Gatorade Player of the Year award in Nevada after leading her school to its fifth consecutive state title, while earning a spot on the First Team All-State for two consecutive seasons.
After a year at Arizona University and a partial season at Syracuse, due to injury, Walker came to Ohio State prior to the 2022-23 season. After rehabbing from her injury and improving her conditioning under head coach Kevin McGuff, Walker made a name for herself on the court when she started the final 11 games of the 22-23 campaign, culminating in a trip to the Elite Eight. It was a run that featured big moments from Walker, like her assist in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament on a broken play to defeat the UNC Tar Heels.
Fans who frequented Ohio State games adored Walker. People related to her hardworking mentality on the court, even if it did not always show up on a stat line.
Then there was a year of quiet. Head coach Kevin McGuff moved Walker to a bench role and in a 13-point win over the Maryland Terrapins on Feb. 25, 2024, it looked like Walker left the program. After an errant pass on a fast break, coach McGuff benched the forward and was visibly angry on the court. Walker left the bench and the arena and was not seen again in the regular season.
When Ohio State secured the outright Big Ten regular season title, Walker was not on the court to celebrate and questions surrounded the forward. When Walker returned in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, it was after the crowd chanted her name.
At the end of the season, Walker had the same rights as any college basketball player. She could have entered the transfer portal and found a new program where she could get more minutes in Walker’s final year of eligibility. Players have transferred — and will transfer — for much less. Not Walker.
“One of the main reasons why I came back is because of the Ohio State fans, the red coats, everything that makes Ohio State, Ohio State behind the scenes is really what led me to come back here, really what motivates me every day,” said Walker.
With less than two minutes left in the fourth quarter of Sunday night, McGuff sent Walker to the bench. The game was out of hand, with Tennessee just waiting for the clock to read zeros before fully celebrating their move to the Sweet Sixteen. Walker played 19 of 20 minutes in the second half and she grabbed rebounds, found open teammates, and battled even through her own turnovers to win the ball back for her team.
For one last time, Walker received an ovation from the fans when McGuff subbed the forward out with 1:25 remaining. Senior guard Taylor Thierry received the same treatment at the 24-second mark, but Madison Greene and Ajae Petty ended the game on the court.
Search the Ohio State program history books and Walker’s name will not lead any single game or season category. Walker never led the team in points, rebounds, blocks, or minutes played. Great players are remembered for their impact on the court. Their performances are shared fondly between fans and used in television broadcasts to fill time.
Great people are remembered for the lives they have touched and for the things that are not seen.
When Walker was seven years old, the future college basketball player lost her father in a car accident. Walker’s handwritten thank you cards are one small piece of continuing his legacy.
“As a kid, we used to go out and just help people on the side of the road,” said Walker. “We didn’t record it and we didn’t flaunt it and we didn’t ask for money, but just to help somebody else that was in need. And that’s just something I always carried with me.”
Walker’s mom Delores did the same thing after James’ passing, keeping the family legacy alive. Talk with Walker’s mom once and you quickly realize she is one of the nicest people you will meet, which is no surprise when talking with Walker herself.
Delores went through three moves with Walker, leaving the warm Southwest of Arizona and Nevada for the cold of Upstate New York and Central Ohio. Delores and Walker’s cousin Curtis were the inner circle that surrounded Walker through the good and not-so-good times in her college career; along with Buckeye fans.
Over the years, Walker pushed any positives about her own performances back to doing anything to help her team. In her final season and final game, Walker did not give the signs of being visibly upset about the end of her college basketball career.
In Saturday’s pregame press conference, Walker smiled as she answered questions wearing a buckeye necklace. After the loss, Walker put the necklace back on for her final moments behind a microphone.
The fan favorite, skydiving, Ohio State forward used her final moments as a student-athlete answering questions to reflect the love that she felt throughout her career back to those who supported her.
“I think knowing Buckeye fans kind of showed me like, hey, we appreciate, they didn’t say it, but just being able to get the cheers that I got when I got in. Even if I wasn’t playing, if I just got in for two minutes, they kind of acknowledged and noticed how I was going hard every time that I got. So that meant the most to me,” said Walker. “And there’s no other words that I can add or describe how much I appreciate the Buckeye fans and what they do.”