Celtics Give Walker $71M Deal

Antoine Walker signed the richest contract in Boston Celtics history Friday, a six-year extension for about $71 million.

Thus, Walker took a big step toward fulfilling his wish of spending his entire career with the team.

"I come from nothing. I come from a family of six and my mom raised me," he said at a news conference. "I didn't have much growing up. To have the opportunity to make $71 million is unbelievable."

The deal, reported earlier but not finalized until the NBA lockout officially ended, was less than Walker could have made before the new collective bargaining agreement was adopted.

The Celtics finished signing their players by getting first-round draft choice Paul Pierce and forward Popeye Jones under contract. Pierce was the 10th pick, while Jones, a strong rebounding forward, joined the team last season in a trade with Toronto.

Walker, a 6-foot-9 forward, had a year left on the three-year deal he signed as a rookie and could have waited until the end of this season before deciding whether to become a free agent or remain with the Celtics.

He said continuing to play for coach Rick Pitino, who had been his coach for his two seasons at Kentucky, was a major factor in his decision to re-sign.

"Without coach Pitino, this never would have happened," Walker said. "I do owe him a lot. He put me in the situation I'm in now. That's one of the main reasons why I chose to stay with the Celtics because I've had great success with him."

Walker, the sixth pick in the 1997 draft and an All-Star last season, averaged 20.0 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game in his two NBA seasons.

Last season, Walker was fifth in the NBA with 22.4 points per game and tied for seventh with 10.2 rebounds per game.

"He can be the best in our game," Pitino said. "I've always believed that, with him, because he loves to play so much, he'll do whatever he can to drive himself to be the best. He wants to be the best. He wants the limelight.

Walker has "great potential" to become a leader and it's "really crucial" that he do that, Pitino said.

"That's good pressure," Walker said.

Celtics vice-chairman of the board Red Auerbach presented one of his trademark cigars to Walker and said, "I told him, `You're the captain. Remember. Act like one. Be in control.' His attitude is great."

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