The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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18 THE WOLVERINE AUGUST 2017 BY JOHN BORTON D errick Walton Jr. predicted a Big Ten Tournament cham- pionship to head coach John Beilein, weeks before it hap- pened. Seeing it play out dramatically in Washington, D.C., proved particu- larly gratifying. Still being around to enjoy it injected an everlasting per- spective. There were no guarantees when Michigan's team plane careened off a runway at nearby Willow Run Air- port, crashed through a fence and came to rest — smoking and spit- ting fluids — across a roadway and a huge ditch. Walton spilled some blood on the way out, the dazed victim of an exit door. Everyone added sweat and tears, and the Wolverines' 2016-17 story turned from unsatisfying to spectacular, with a heavy dose of joy and relief tossed in. The senior guard executed a dra- matic takeoff in the days that fol- lowed, leading his team to a tourney title and the brink of an NCAA Elite Eight. His rise — and the team's — played into Walton garnering male athlete of the year recognition by The Wolverine. "It's a complete honor," Walton said. "To pick me out of some of the best athletes in the world, let alone at Michigan — there are future Olympi- ans and whatnot. I'm extremely hon- ored, and I don't take it for granted." It is safe to say nobody on Michi- gan's roster took anything for granted following the runway scare. But Walton, perhaps above all, chan- neled the energy he had into keep- ing alive his college career as long as possible. His overall numbers were very solid: 15.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, with career highs in assists (189), free throw percentage (87.6) and three-point percentage (42.2) in his final season. His post-escape surge, though, solidified his status in U-M basketball lore. The Big Ten Tournament MVP scored 29 points in the semifinals against Minnesota and poured in 22 more against Wisconsin in the cham- pionship game. He made a combined 16 assists and 11 rebounds in those two fateful games, taking the Wol- verines on a ride to a championship. "The entire year, we felt like we were capable of doing whatever we wanted to do," Walton said. "It was all about making the proper adjust- ments when we had the chance. "Personally, I wanted to go out there and prove I was one of the best players in the country. It was one of my personal goals going into every game, along with making sure my guys were confident." In a time of potentially shaken con- fidence, Walton shook off everything. Not that it didn't take a day or so. He, along with his teammates, took the court in practice gear against Il- linois for the Big Ten Tournament opener. They'd flown into town that morning, their game-day gear trapped in the belly of the disabled plane they abandoned the day before. Walton brought along something extra from home as well — about a half-dozen stitches. "It was a weird experience, like nothing I've ever seen," he recalled. "I got a cut during it, and that shook me up a little bit, knocked me off my stride. I was going through some- thing that was life changing, and I got injured doing it. I just wanted to get healed as much as possible and do what I do best — go out and play. "I was trying to exit the plane, once everything settled down. Of course, everyone is in a panic, trying to get out of there and not knowing what could happen. I got hit by the exit door." The gash became an afterthought once the games resumed, and after the Wolverines secured conference hardware, they wanted more. Again, thanks in large part to their senior guard, they had a chance. Walton came out on fire in the NCAA Tournament opener against Oklahoma State in Kansas City. He poured in 26 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to spearhead an offen- sive onslaught by the Wolverines. They needed every bit of it, nailing down a rim-melting 92-91 win over the Cowboys. "The Oklahoma State game was a high-level game," Walton recalled. "Both teams were playing really well, scoring points at a really high rate. I had a really good game and, overall, our team showed the country exactly what we knew already inside. It was about showing it to the world. That was one of the funnest games I've ever been a part of." Michigan then clawed past Lou- isville 73-69, putting itself into the Sweet 16 and one game away from the Elite Eight — which Walton and fellow senior Zak Irvin reached as true freshmen. They came within inches of getting there this time. Walton's last-second shot from the top of the circle against Oregon fell mercilessly short, allow- ing the Ducks to escape with a 69-68 win that they soon turned into a Final Four appearance. Walton isn't shy about discussing it, or reliving it, for that matter. "I watch it a lot," he admitted. "I ac- tually watch it whenever I'm alone. I love basketball, so I watch a lot of it. I think about the couple-minute stretch in the second half, where Coach took me out. He felt I wasn't focused and wasn't doing what I usually do. "It kind of hurt us, me not being there. I always kick myself about that one — and the last shot, of course. I talked to Coach B about it. He said it was a great shot. I just should have backed off and shot it all the way through." Beilein pushed him throughout his career, Walton acknowledged. Once the Detroit native adjusted to it, he FANTASTIC FINISH Derrick Walton Jr. Soars As A Senior Walton is the only player in program history to post 1,000 points (he finished his career with 1,471), 500 rebounds (562) and 400 assists (499). PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR DERRICK WALTON JR.