Tevonn Walker is back.

The former Valparaiso University men’s basketball standout has returned to his alma mater, where he will serve as a graduate assistant.

“We are extremely excited to add a player of Tevonn’s ability to the program,” head coach Matt Lottich said. “His success here on and off the court will be a huge asset. Tevonn’s experience at the professional level is something that really resonates with the young men who are currently on our team. He was encouraged to pursue a career in coaching, and I think this will be the start of an unbelievable career.”

Walker, who will assist with operational duties in his new role, was a standout during his time as a student-athlete from 2014-2018. He sits 14^th in program history with 1,405 career points, and also ranks among Valpo’s career leaders in steals (150, tied for eighth) and free throws (342, eighth).

“Throughout the whole process of trying to build my basketball resume, I’ve always thought of Valpo,” Walker said. “I had a very successful playing career here. It’s a comfortable environment and the people around made it easier to be successful as a player, and I felt that could be the same as a GA. When I got off the plane and got into town, it felt great to see the familiar sights of Valpo again.”

Walker was a member of the 2017-18 Missouri Valley Conference All-Defensive Team after also earning All-Defensive Team honors in the Horizon League in 2016-17. He burst onto the scene in 2014-15, garnering a place on the Horizon League All-Freshman Team. He led the team in scoring in 2017-18, the program’s first year in the MVC, posting 14.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game while also tying for team-high honors with 48 steals. He ranked eighth in the conference in scoring, second in steals, and seventh in free throw percentage (.779).

During Walker’s freshman season, Valpo won the Horizon League title and reached the NCAA Tournament. As a sophomore, he was a part of the team that reached the NIT championship game.

“It was after my career here when I realized how special certain things were at Valpo,” Walker said. “The NIT run is a great memory. The big games that we played throughout my career – Maryland, Rhode Island, Saint Mary’s, Florida State, Oregon, Oregon State – we had a lot of power conference games where we won or were very close. Those are great memories.”

After his time with the Brown & Gold, Walker signed with the Hamburg Towers of the ProA in Germany. He became a starter and helped his team to a championship. After winning the title, Hamburg was promoted to Basketball Bundesliga (BBL), the top league in Germany. There, Walker competed against numerous former and future NBA players. After two seasons in Germany, the Montreal native returned to his home country to play for Saskatchewan of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL).

Walker then began coaching for Red Rush AAU program and training players individually.

“When I started coaching, I grew a new love for the same game,” Walker said. “Whenever I spoke to younger players, everybody was wide-eyed because they had similar goals and were doing whatever it takes to use the information I gave them. Who wouldn’t want to continue to be around the game they love so much? This is a way for me to be on a different end of the same bench.”