Ayrton Oneill
Luke Walton is far from being bad at basketball. He played college basketball with the Arizona Wildcats and was a two-time first-team All-Pac-10 selection. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2003 and played for them until 2012, winning two NBA championships in 2009 and 2010. After retiring as a player, Walton became a coach, first as an assistant with the Golden State Warriors, and then as the head coach of the Lakers, Kings, and Detroit Pistons. He has won three NBA championships as a coach.
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What You'll Learn
Luke Walton's best NBA season
Luke Walton is an American professional basketball coach and former player. He played 10 seasons in the NBA as a forward, winning two NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was selected in the second round of the 2003 NBA draft by the Lakers and made his NBA debut in October 2003.
The 2006-07 season was Walton's best individual season in the NBA. He posted career-high per-game averages in minutes, field goal percentage, steals, blocks, rebounds, assists, and points as the Lakers' starting small forward. On December 8, 2006, he scored a career-high 25 points against the Atlanta Hawks. Following this successful season, Walton signed a 6-year, $30 million contract with the Lakers on July 12, 2007.
During his career as a player, Walton won two NBA championships with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010. He then transitioned into coaching, serving as an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors and winning a title with them as well. From 2016 to 2019, Walton was the head coach of the Lakers, guiding them to consecutive improvements in their win record.
While Walton's individual statistics may not stand out, his contributions to championship-winning teams and his successful transition into coaching demonstrate his basketball acumen and strategic mindset. His best NBA season as a player was undoubtedly 2006-07, where he achieved career-high averages across multiple statistical categories.
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His career as a Lakers player
Luke Theodore Walton, born on March 28, 1980, in San Diego, California, is the son of Susie and former UCLA star and NBA Hall-of-Famer Bill Walton. He played basketball at the University of Arizona and was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2003 NBA draft.
Walton played for the Lakers for nine years, from 2003 to 2012, as a forward. During his time with the team, he became a favourite of Lakers fans, known for his selfless and hard-working attitude. In 2005, he was chosen to represent Team Los Angeles in the Shooting Stars Competition during All-Star Weekend. The 2006-07 season was his best, as he posted career-high per-game averages in minutes, field goal percentage, steals, blocks, rebounds, assists, and points as the Lakers' starting small forward. That year, he scored a career-high 25 points against the Atlanta Hawks on December 8, 2006. Following this successful season, Walton signed a 6-year, $30 million contract with the Lakers on July 12, 2007.
The Lakers then made three straight runs to the NBA Finals. They lost to the Celtics in 2008 but then won back-to-back championships, defeating the Magic in 2009 and the Celtics again in 2010. These wins gave Walton his first two NBA championship titles, mirroring the number of championship wins by his father, Bill Walton. With these wins, the Waltons became the first father-son duo to each win multiple NBA titles.
After the 2010 NBA Finals, Walton's career as a Lakers player came to an end. He transitioned into coaching, serving as the head coach of the Lakers from 2016 to 2019. Walton faced some challenges during his coaching tenure with the Lakers, including a difficult 2018-19 season marked by injuries to key players and a high number of starting lineup changes.
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His coaching career
Luke Walton's coaching career began at the University of Memphis, where he served as an assistant coach during the 2011 NBA lockout. Following his retirement as a player, he joined the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA Development League as a player development coach for the 2013-14 season. The following season, he became an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors, helping them win the 2015 NBA Finals and earning his first championship as a coach. During the 2015-16 training camp, Walton was appointed as the Warriors' interim head coach when Steve Kerr took a leave of absence.
Walton's interim head coaching stint with the Warriors was highly successful. In his debut, the Warriors won 111–95 over the New Orleans Pelicans. He then guided them to a 119–69 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, the third-largest margin of victory in franchise history. The Warriors extended their winning streak to 16 games, starting the season 19–0. Despite technically being winless as the team's record was credited to Kerr, Walton was named the NBA Western Conference Coach of the Month for October and November.
In April 2016, the Los Angeles Lakers hired Walton as their new head coach. In his first season, the Lakers improved upon their previous year's record, finishing 26–56. However, Walton's head coaching tenure with the Lakers from 2016 to 2019 did not translate to the same level of success he had with the Warriors. The Lakers struggled, and Walton missed the playoffs during his time with them.
Following his stint with the Lakers, Walton served as the head coach of the Sacramento Kings from 2019 to 2021. He is credited with helping transform the Kings into a stronger team and laying the groundwork for their future success. Since 2024, Walton has been the lead assistant coach for the Detroit Pistons, working to turn them into a solid team. While some consider him a great assistant coach, Walton's overall head coaching record across multiple teams has been viewed as below average.
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His college basketball career
Luke Theodore Walton, born on March 28, 1980, in San Diego, California, is the son of Susie and former UCLA star and NBA Hall-of-Famer, Bill Walton. He played college basketball with the Arizona Wildcats at the University of Arizona under coach Lute Olson. During his college basketball career, Walton was a second-team All-American and a two-time first-team All-Pac-10 selection. His best year statistically was as a junior, when he averaged 15.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game.
During his senior year, he averaged 10.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 0.9 steals per game. Walton graduated from the University of Arizona in the spring of 2003 with a degree in family studies and human development. In his college basketball career, Walton stood out as a talented and well-rounded player, demonstrating his skills in scoring, rebounding, assisting, and stealing the ball.
Following his successful college career, Walton was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2003 NBA draft as the second pick of the second round (32nd overall). He went on to play 10 seasons in the NBA as a forward, winning two NBA championships with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010. After his playing career, Walton transitioned into coaching, becoming an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors during the 2014-15 season. He then served as the head coach of the Lakers from 2016 to 2019 and the Sacramento Kings from 2019 to 2021.
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His time as a player vs. his time as a coach
Luke Walton was a player and coach in the NBA. As a player, he was a two-time NBA champion, winning in 2009 and 2010 with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was a fan favourite during his nine-year stint with the Lakers and earned a reputation as a selfless, hard-working reserve player. His best season statistically was 2006–07, with over 11 points, 5 rebounds, and over 4 assists per game. He scored a career-high 25 points against the Atlanta Hawks on December 8, 2006.
Walton's first coaching experience was with the University of Memphis during the 2011 NBA lockout. Following his retirement, he became a player development coach for the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA Development League in 2013. He then became an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors in 2014 and won his third NBA championship and first as a coach in 2015. During the 2015–16 training camp, Walton was appointed as the Warriors' interim head coach when Steve Kerr took an indefinite leave of absence. In his role as interim head coach, Walton guided the Warriors to a historic 24-game winning streak to open the season. He later became the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers and, most recently, an assistant coach for the Detroit Pistons.
Overall, Walton had a successful career as both a player and a coach in the NBA. While he may not have been a superstar player, he was a valuable contributor to championship teams and went on to find success as a coach, demonstrating his strong understanding of the game and ability to lead.
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Frequently asked questions
Luke Walton had a 9-year stint with the Los Angeles Lakers and was a fan favourite. He was a two-time L.A. champion and won two NBA championships as a player alongside his father, Bill Walton. He was also a selfless, hard-working reserve player.
Yes, Luke Walton was an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors during the 2014-15 season. He then became the Warriors' interim head coach in 2015-16 and guided the team to a 24-game winning streak to open the season.
Luke Walton's best season statistically was 2006-07, where he posted career-high per-game averages in minutes, field goal percentage, steals, blocks, rebounds, assists, and points. He scored a career-high 25 points against the Atlanta Hawks on December 8, 2006.
After his retirement, Luke Walton was hired as a player development coach by the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA Development League for the 2013-14 season. He then became an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors and later their interim head coach. Walton has also served as the head coach of the Kings and Lakers and joined the Detroit Pistons as the lead assistant coach for the 2024-25 NBA season.
