It was Mr. Galton Taylor who gambled on the then lanky 17 year old - who never even touched a basketball. Yet Mr. Taylor saw the immense potential harnessed within. During training sessions, the quiet and reserved Courtney Walters remained humble, focused and compassionate, determined to absorb all he was being taught despite the constant ridicule he had to withstand from his peers. Being so tall but possessed the hands of an arthritic.

However, in 2006 during his second year with the relatively successful basketball club - the Innercity Avalanche, Courtney attended the annual Star Search Basketball & Life Skills Camp at the GC Foster College in Spanish Town and after the grueling camp which takes aspiring players through various drills and skills tests, earned himself later that year a scholarship to the Mineral Area College in Missouri and later transferred to Iowa Central Community College. Courtney has again transferred and we catch up with him:

Last season was your last at Iowa Central Community College, what are your plans for the future?

·                     My plans are to attend Northwood University to complete my education and also to play two more years of college basketball.

How did you end up with Northwood University?

·                     I ended up here at Northwood mainly because of the coaching staff that includes college hall of fame coach Rollie Massimino who won a national championship with Villanova in 1985 and also because I wanted to be closer to home.

What number you plan on wearing this season?

·                     I am wearing number 32 this year

You wore number 50 back in Iowa, why you decided to change?

·                     I changed my number because they did not have the number 50 in their jersey collection so I chose the next best number to me, my favourite player use to wear 32 A’mare Stoudemire.

When a question like this is asked, the answer tends to be Michael Jordan, so why A'mare?

·                     A’mare is my favourite player because I love his game the best, and he plays the same spot as me, he is athletic and explosive and he is a beast and that is how I want my game to be.

When they accepted you did you have to prove yourself, or did the hard work in Iowa speak for itself?

·                     I had to come in and prove myself again, I have to do that everyday because we have a good squad so there is always somebody ready to step and take my spot if I dont work hard

What do you expect from your first year?

·                     Im just trying to have a solid first year here and then build from their going into next year, I really want us to win the national championship, thats a goal,we are that talented and capable.

I heard that they are affiiated with NAIA, is this equivalent to which NCAA division?

·                     NAIA is a smaller league than NCAA but, basketball is basketball, you still find good players coming out of NAIA, just that it is not as publicised and well funded, but Im fortunate to be in a situation where my coaches operate like our program is a NCAA Division 1 program. Perfect example of that is that we beat Florida International University who is NCAA D1 and we beat them a few weeks ago by 10 points and they are coached by Isiah Thomas former NBA star and Knicks head coach, so their is still good players in NAIA.

Your team roster classifies you as 6' 10" and 235lbs, what is your workout routine like?

·                     My workout routine here is very much basic, but intense, I have individual workout with one of the coaches in the mornings to work on stuff you want to get better at. Then we come back again in the afternoon as a team and practice and we might have another individual session during practice where all the post players work on their fundmentals. Then we work on stuff as a team and we do a lot of sprints and then after all of that we lift weights. For me as a post player I have to lift a little heavier than others because of all the banging that I do in the post.

How much (lbs) do you lift now?

·                     Right now I max out at 300lbs.

I saw on your school’s website where it states your major is Marketing, why is this your choice?

·                     I chose marketing because I like that field, i feel like out of all the majors that I had to choose from this one suited me best.

How long do you plan to attend Northwood university, and then what?

·                     I plan to attend Northwood for two years and then after that its up the God where I end up.

Will you make yourself available for the NBA draft in two years? Is that a goal?

·                     NBA is more of a dream, but realistically I would love to play professionally in another league, if not I still have a marketing degree to use.

Would you like to represent Jamaica's basketball team?

·                      Yes it would definately be an honor to don black, green and gold.

How often do you visit home?

·                     When I was in Iowa I could only visit home once for the year, but now that Im closer to home I am going to try to go home a little more.

Do your ever get homesick?

·                     I do get homesick sometimes but since I have been in Florida it hasnt been so bad because I see more familiar faces here and I have family members here as well.

How do you prevent yourself from losing focus?

·                     I prevent myself from losing focus when I think about my family, especially my mother and my father and that I dont want to disappoint them.

Favorite food while away from home?

·                     Favourite when Im home, any kind of Jamaican food you can think of.

Any last words for anyone back in Jamaica who would like to advance college?

·                     Keep God first, work hard, always be willing to listen and learn, never be satisfied with just being good, strive to be great.