At just 18 years old, Reading basketball sensation Lonnie Walker IV has achieved milestones that very few people can claim – not the least of which was scoring a record-high 22 points in the state championship game back in March and, in doing so, bringing Reading High School its first-ever Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association win. The 6-foot-4 teen lives with his idol, his equally talented father Lonnie Walker III, and scores big in the classroom as well as on the court – he has high expectations of himself in terms of academics. The past year hasn’t left Walker much time for anything but schoolwork and basketball, but now that he’s graduated, he will be spending his summer preparing to move to Florida, where he’ll start the next phase of his very promising and exciting life – with those of us in Berks cheering him on!
Q: So you’ve lived in Berks County all your life?
Yes.
Q: And soon you’re leaving for University of Miami. What led you to choose that school?
I chose Miami because it is a great college and the coaches and I really connected.
Q: What are you going to major in? What kind of job are you going to pursue?
I’m a pre-med major. I love science, and being a doctor seems like an amazing career.
Q: Alongside becoming a doctor, do you anticipate a professional basketball career for yourself?
Only if the man upstairs – God – thinks so.
Q: If that happens, what would be your dream-come-true professional scenario?
Just longevity in the NBA, I’d say.
Q: What’s your earliest memory of the game?
Watching my father play at Alvernia University. He was a great player, and I wanted to be like him. He just wanted me to be better than him, but in my mind he was the greatest!
Q: Do you play other sports as well?
Football and track. I like them for the variety; they give me something else to do. I was going to do track again this past year as a senior, but my schedule was just too tight.
Q: Do you have a favorite moment as a RHS player?
Yes, my first high school game. It was against [Governor] Mifflin, and I was one of the starting players. It was great.
Q: Do you have a favorite pro player?
I actually don’t watch basketball. I love to watch Spongebob Squarepants.
Q: I’m guessing I know your most favorite thing, so what are numbers two and three?
I’d say just being a kid hanging with friends and doing science experiments.
Q: What do you do when you have nothing else to do (which I bet is rare)?
It is. I barely have any time off, but when I do, I like to relax and watch horror movies.
Q: Where do you see yourself in five years?
Finishing my bachelor’s degree and owning a few businesses. I like the idea of being my own boss.
