Walton Headed to Big Ten
Travis Walton, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound point guard from Lima (Ohio) High School decided to put an end to his recruitment the day after coaches could get on the phone and start their work before the busy July evaluation period. He called a prestigious Big Ten program and said he’ll suit up for them next season.
After visiting Michigan State over the weekend with his high school team, Walton knew that he would be a Spartan during his college days. That is why he made it official on Wednesday morning.
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“I called him at 11 o’clock and told (Coach Tom Izzo) I was committing to them,” Walton said. “(Izzo) said ‘Are you serious?’ He was really excited. I’m excited. My family is excited. It’s a great opportunity.”
Walton had a chance to meet with the coaching staff after playing at Breslin Center for the team camp. He walked away with a good impression with the program and after weighing the good and bad, he decided to go with his instincts.
“When I was there, I saw how much passion the coaches and players had. It is kind of hard to explain but they told me about all of the benefits and things like that in a meeting but in the end, I had to just listen to my gut,” Walton said. “My gut said Michigan State.”
Walton, who also considered Marquette, Florida, Cincinnati, Bowling Green and Purdue, said the successful guard play in East Lansing was one of the main reasons why he chose the Spartans.
“They want me to come in and work hard and live up to the tradition that so many players have built,” he said. “I’m ready.”
He will be in action at the Nike camp in Indianapolis in July.