Big 12: Martez Walker Withdraws From Texas, But It Won’t Affect Longhorns

Dating back to September, Texas Longhorns’ sophomore guard Martez Walker was suspended for the team for being arrested on assault charges related to an incident in a campus dormitory with his girlfriend. This then led to another arrest for criminal trespassing after being banned from the dormitory in which the assault occurred.

It was assumed he would never play another game in a Texas uniform again after the concurring incidents, but the Longhorn Network confirmed those assumptions by announcing Walker has withdrawn from the University of Texas.

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Walker was expected to be a significant contributor for Rick Barnes’ Longhorns next season after making a strong case for himself in the rotation as the 2013-14 season concluded, but luckily for Barnes, his roster is recognized for its depth and there’s no shortage of guards and small forward who can come in and fill his role without missing a beat.

Next season, the perimeter at Texas will be comprised with a slew of talented contributors including Isaiah Taylor, Javan Felix, Demarcus Holland, Damarcus Croaker, Kendal Yancy and Jordan Barnett. Jonathan Holmes and Myles Turner will likely see a solid chunk of minutes on the perimeter as well with the congestion Texas will have in the paint.

This leaves eight guys who are all beyond capable of producing quality minutes and only have a limited number opportunities to compete for, which just goes to show that once the season starts, the absence of Walker will become practically unnoticeable.

Still don’t think Walker is replaceable due to how he ended his freshman campaign? Just look at his numbers from last season. Walker finished 2013-14 eight in minutes at 12.7 and seventh in points at 4.7 per game. These surely aren’t the type of numbers that scream impact player and after an offseason of notable additions and documented strides of improvements from guys like Croaker, having to say goodbye to someone who was simply a role player won’t change the future for is looking like will become one of college basketball elite squads.