Rising sophomore CJ Walker has decided to continue his college basketball career at a different university. The 6-foot-8 forward from Sanford, Florida, will take his talents to a school closer to home due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has upended the sports world.
Walker entered the 2019-20 season with significant hype, but was largely relegated to a backup role in his first college basketball season. Walker started seven games for Oregon and averaged four points per game during his career.
“I want to thank everyone at the University of Oregon-especially the fans for the support and Coach Altman for the opportunity...I will forever cherish my growth as a basketball player, a student and a person at the University of Oregon,” Walker said on Twitter.
Walker’s decision is in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis that has sickened over 2 million Americans. In this time of crisis, some college athletes have opted to transfer to schools closer to home. The distance between Sanford, Florida, and Eugene, Oregon, is over 3,000 miles. Going to a university closer to his hometown would allow Walker to both be near his family and hone his basketball skills.