Home is where the heart is, and for Jaden Walker’s family, one home was UMBC. Older sister Sherelle Walker was a four-year standout for the Retrievers’ volleyball team from 2012-2015.
Jaden’s four-year basketball career at St. Joseph’s ended following the 2022-23 season. The 5-foot-10 forward contributed sparingly in 60 career games and missed the entire 2021-22 season due to injury, but she had the opportunity to seek more playing time elsewhere as a graduate transfer.
It only made sense for her next stop to be UMBC, a program on the rise after going 10-6 in the America East Conference a year ago.
“The transition has honestly been pretty smooth,” Walker said. “During the recruiting process, the coaching staff was clear as to what they wanted. … They play the style of basketball that I’ve been looking for.”
Through 10 games with the Retrievers, the New Freedom, Pa., native is averaging 7.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.
Walker established herself as an important part of UMBC’s identity in nonconference play. She is one of five players on the team to average more than 20 minutes of playing time entering the Retrievers’ game at American on Dec. 20. The forward can defend every position and score due to her athleticism and strength, according to UMBC head coach Johnetta Hayes.
Hayes quickly found out about Walker’s family connection to the school during the recruitment process, which gave her more optimism about the possibility of Walker heading to play for the Retrievers.
In their talks, the assurance of more playing time and the chance to help the team take another step forward in the conference was something that attracted Walker to the program, outside of family ties.
“Jaden is an amazing student and person,” Hayes said. “She has a ton of leadership qualities and maturity off the court that helps her teammates on the court. … She believes in us and we believe in her, and that’s the most important factor to the success [for] her and our team.”
UMBC may run in the Walker family, but basketball runs in the family even more. Jaden’s brother, Jarace, was drafted eighth overall in the 2023 NBA Draft by the Washington Wizards. He was subsequently traded to the Indiana Pacers on draft night. He was averaging 3.4 points per game in his first year in the league entering play on Dec. 11.
Jarace played one year of college basketball before being drafted, reaching the Sweet 16 with Houston.
“Seeing his dedication and resilience taught me the importance of perseverance and commitment when it comes to pursuing my goals,” Walker said. “I learned the value of pushing through challenges and staying focused on the bigger picture. Watching him play allowed me to see firsthand some elements I wanted to incorporate into my own game.”
The evolution of her game was a key component to her decision to transfer to UMBC, knowing that her role would increase. She has worked hand in hand with coaches and teammates to improve her offensive game.
Walker came into the program as more of a defender, but she has been able to unlock more offensive success at UMBC than ever before.
“A goal of mine was to be more aggressive offensively and seek more opportunities to attack the basket,” Walker said. “I’ve always been defensively-minded, so I wanted to keep the same mentality and be a versatile player that can defend all positions.”
Switching that mindset has not only helped her but opened up the floor for teammates to flourish. Ten games into the season, four players are averaging 6.0 or more points a game and two were in double figures, right in line with what the Retrievers were able to accomplish last year. Throughout all of that, Walker hasn’t even been playing at 100 percent.
“Jaden has been dealing with a nagging injury that is not [conducive] to her being 100 percent present,” Hayes said. “She’s been effective, just not consistent yet. … I think in December, she’ll become more comfortable.”
While she hasn’t been at UMBC for long, Walker has settled in well to her new home.
“I think I’m meshing well,” Walker said. “I think everyone understands their role and tries, to the best of their ability, to achieve that. I do think that it’s such a different role than I’ve played previously, so I do have to be reminded often that I do have to step up more. … It’s early in the season, so we’re struggling a bit, but I think there will be immense success in the future.”
Photo Credit: Courtesy of UMBC Athletics
Issue 284: December 2023 / January 2024
Originally published Dec. 13, 2023