By Jeff Lund
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Wednesday October 16, 2002
Four days after attending "Midnight Madness," high school senior Kirk Walters made up his mind that Arizona was the place for him.
The 6-foot-10 center from South Christian High School near Grand Rapids, Mich. chose Arizona over Central Michigan and Western Michigan ÷ even after saying on Friday that he wouldn't make his mind up until November. But circumstances changed.
Central Michigan wished to offer the scholarship to another player by this Friday, prompting the hasty decision, said Kirk Walters' father, Ward Walters.
"They had a player coming that they wanted to offer a scholarship," Ward Walters said. "They wanted a decision."
Kirk's father said that although Kirk wasn't expecting to make a decision until November, the quick decision was the correct one.
"We had a nice talk, then a four hour plane trip and did some more talking," Ward Walters said. "Kirk liked the players and the facilities. I think that Lute Olson will do a good job. The values (the UA) staff showed in taking care of Kirk was valuable to us."
Olson discovered Kirk Walters while at an Adidas basketball camp in Las Vegas in July, the recruit said at "Midnight Madness."
Walters was given three stars by rivals.com. Though Walters is not ranked as a top-100 recruit by most analysts, some experts see the same potential Olson saw in the center when he was in Nevada.
He is the latest to join a recruiting class ranked No. 1 by ESPN. Arizona has received non-binding verbal commitments from Ndudi Ebi and Mustafa Shakur öö both top-ranked recruits nationally. National signing day is on Nov. 13.
