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Kansas native Zyanna Walker emerges as a leader with drive and swagger for No. 13 K-State women | K State Sports

Kansas native Zyanna Walker emerges as a leader with drive and swagger for No. 13 K-State women | K State Sports

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Zyanna Walker loves everything about basketball.

From the sound of the ball going through the net to the toughest days of offseason conditioning, she lives for the game.

That's what drives her to faithfully develop her skills, whether in official practice with the Kansas State women's basketball team or on her own. She often does the latter. In fact, according to head coach Jeff Mittie, she devotes more time to individual improvement than anyone else on the roster.

“I always tell the players, 'I've got to catch you doing the right thing,'” Mittie said Tuesday at Big 12 Media Days. “…If I run (to the Ice Family Basketball Center) on a Sunday night to do something and find two players in the gym, I'll catch you doing the right thing.

“Zy is one I could catch at 7 a.m., I could catch at 8 p.m. She takes her craft seriously. She loves to play and is a great teammate.”

One of three Kansas players on the team, Walker enters her second season with the 13th-ranked Wildcats. As a redshirt freshman last year, she played in all 34 games off the bench and averaged 6.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1 steal per appearance.

The 5-foot-10 guard from Wichita made an impact early, scoring 13 points and hitting all five of her shots – including three 3-pointers – in K-State's season-opening win over Presbyterian. Two games later, she scored 12 points and helped the Wildcats upset then-No. 2 and eventual national runner-up Iowa on the road.

Perhaps her biggest highlight was sinking a long triple at the buzzer in the third quarter to put K-State ahead of then-No. 10 Texas forever, then she walked toward the bench with her chest puffed out and an intense scowl on her face as her teammates rushed over to celebrate with her.

Now, despite her youth, Mittie said there is “no doubt” that Walker has become a leader on the squad, especially in emotional situations.

Walker agreed.

“I’m a pretty outspoken person,” Walker said. “I’m pretty vocal and have a certain personality. … Last year I really embraced the role of bringing energy. This year the energy isn't going anywhere. It will remain. I just hope I can get it out of my teammates when we need it.”

Mittie said Walker often inspired her teammates last season to get involved defensively, an aspect of the game she's proud of because it's “almost all about effort” and she seems to put in plenty of effort.

In the offseason, Mittie said she expanded her offensive leadership repertoire by spending more time as a point guard, where she became more comfortable and adept at leading a team and directing people to the right spots.

Another area of ​​focus for Walker heading into the 2024-25 season was her jump shot.

It's not the first time she's had to focus on this aspect of her game.

Walker began playing basketball at age 6 when her parents put her in a YMCA league and determined she was “naturally good.” The summer after 6th grade, she knew she wanted to pursue sports as more than just a pastime, but there was a skill she needed to develop to make that a reality.

“When I was in sixth grade, I really wasn’t a jump shooter,” Walker said. “I was actually just a straight driver and was able to get to the rim really well. But if I wanted to make it to the next level, I had to hit a jump shot. I was in the gym all summer hitting a ton of shots and that’s what got me here.”

The discipline and dedication continued into high school, where Walker was named the 2022 Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year as a Wichita Heights graduate. After a redshirt medical season at Louisville in which she played five games, she headed to a new school and ended up at K-State, just a few hours north of her hometown.

More than a year later, she knows she made the right decision.

“It was really heartwarming,” Walker said. “It feels like a family, that’s why I came here. I'm glad it wasn't just for show when I visited. There really is a real family culture and atmosphere here.”

Mittie had recruited Walker out of high school, and when she entered the transfer portal, he went after her, knowing he would get a lockdown defender and a player with swagger.

“When we brought her into practice, I could immediately tell she was going to have a big impact on us,” Mittie said.

Teammate Serena Sundell described Walker as “funny,” outgoing and “a good time to be here,” while Ayoka Lee added that Walker was “funny,” “authentic,” “competitive” and responded to any challenge. Both Sundell and Lee – who don't display quite the flashy but cool passion on the court that Walker does – pointed out with admiration that she talked nonsense, especially to the boys in her training group.

Outside the gym, Walker is also a competitor and says she is a “big gamer” who enjoys franchises like “Call of Duty,” “NBA 2K” and “Fortnite.”

She combines this tireless will to win with her fun-loving and down-to-earth nature, making her someone Mittie would love to have on his team.

“She’s not a player to worry about when she’s ready to train,” Mittie said. “She is not a moody child at all. She just loves to play. She has a great personality. You can push her, you can train her hard and you can have fun with her.”

Walker loves everything about basketball, but she strives to impress others on and off the court.

“I like to smile,” Walker said. “I like putting a smile on other people's faces and evoking confidence and inspiring trust in other people. … I hope I can be an inspiration to other Kansas kids. Just because you’re from Kansas and it might be small, you can still make a name for yourself.”

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