Although it happened three years ago, Jamaal Franklin remembers it as vividly as if it was yesterday.
Back then, the San Diego State freshman was a high school junior, and his club team was playing against a lightning-quick, superstar point guard. The point guard’s name was Kemba Walker, and Franklin was assigned to defend him.
“He’s very fast,” Franklin said. “He’s probably the fastest person I’ve ever played against.”
Franklin will get to see Walker again when the Aztecs take on UConn at 4:15 p.m. today at the Honda Center in Anaheim. Only this time, it isn’t AAU club basketball. It’s the 2011 NCAA Sweet 16, and the stakes are much higher. The problem is, Walker is better than he was back then. Much better.
The Huskies’ junior is a Bob Cousy Award finalist, a candidate for Naismith College Player of the Year and one of the most electric scorers in the country. He’s also close to impossible to guard, but SDSU players are looking forward to the challenge.
“I would like to get a shot at him,” Franklin said. “But I think Billy (White), Chase (Tapley) and Kawhi (Leonard) are going to be guarding him this time, so I probably won’t get a shot.”
Senior point guard D.J. Gay also expects it will take more than one individual to guard Walker, who averages more than 23 points and five rebounds per game.
“I think it is going to take a group effort,” Franklin said. “He is a great scorer, a very good player and it’s going to take more than one guy to slow him down. I don’t know if we are going to be able to stop him, but, like (Jimmer) Fredette, we can try and contain him.”
Although Walker can put up ridiculous point totals, his game is different than Fredette’s.
“Jimmer gets a couple steps past half court and he can shoot a three from anywhere,” senior forward Malcolm Thomas said. “Kemba’s more of a take-you-off-the-dribble and attack-the-basket-type player. He has a variety of moves. The main difference is penetration. Kemba penetrates more.”
“(Walker’s) more athletic,” head coach Steve Fisher added. “He probably doesn’t shoot it quite as pure, but he’s capable of getting on a run and making five or six threes in a row.”
Although Thursday will be the first time the Aztecs meet UConn and the first time they will have to guard Walker, Fisher has studied the tape and is impressed by what he sees.
“On film, he looks really quick and athletic,” Fisher said. “And usually those guys are even quicker than that in person. He’s great with the ball, he’s immensely confident … And he has that quickness with the ball, to even when you think you’re in front of him, he gets by you and gets to the rim.”
And although stopping Walker didn’t go so well for Franklin three years ago, he’s confident round two will be different.
“I was young at that age,” Franklin said. “But I think I can guard him this time.”
