Walking Tall

It's great to see that the hometown Detroit Pistons decided to add a little OC flavor to its roster and sign former Rochester High School hoop star Walker Russell, Jr. to a guaranteed contract for the rest of the 2012 campaign.

Russell, Jr. has certainly earned the dough, helping the organization stabilize the backcourt rotation while it dealt with a variety of physical ailments to its guard pool the past month.

In his five-years in the D-League, he has been a perennial all-star, averaging 15 points and nine assists for his non-NBA career, most of which has been spent with the nearby Fort Wayne franchise.  Since joining up with the Pistons this season, he's averaging 3 points and 2.5 assists per contest.

While he was a local prepster in the early 2000s, Russell, Jr. starred on a Falcons cage crew that also featured NBA draft pick Paul Davis (Michigan State). Going on to play with Jacksonville State at the college level, he was a two-time all-league pick.

The kid comes from Grade-A cage stock as well, since Walker, Jr comes from the Russell clan, the first family of hoops in the storied hardwood history of Pontiac. His father, Walker, Sr., played parts of 6 seasons in the NBA in the 1980s, including three of them with the Pistons. His uncles were former NBA'ers Campy Russell and Frank Russell.

The inspiring tale of Walker Russell, Jr. and the story of how he wound up in the NBA shows everybody that hard work, determination and a never-say-die attitude on the court can pay major dividends for those willing to keep chasing their hoop dreams!!!