Plona adds South Carolina transfer EJ Walker

WKU Athletics Press Release

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Mahurin Family Foundation Head Coach Hank Plona announced the signing of 6-8 rising sophomore EJ Walker to the 2026-27 roster.

The former No. 2 high school player in the state of Kentucky arrives on The Hill after spending the 2025-26 season at South Carolina.

“EJ is going to be a great Hilltopper,” said Plona. “He’s a Kentucky kid with a bright future ahead of him. EJ is a versatile player who can score, rebound and impact the game in a variety of ways. He gained valuable experience playing in the SEC this past season, but I don’t think he’s even begun to scratch the surface of who he can become as a player. His best basketball is still ahead of him, and we can’t wait to coach him.”

In 2025-26, Walker appeared in 22 games with six starts for the Gamecocks, shooting 42.9% from the field. He scored a season-high eight points on 4-of-5 shooting in his first career start at Texas on Feb. 3.

Before his time at South Carolina, Walker was a three-star prospect and considered the No. 2 player in Kentucky by 247Sports. He played five seasons of varsity basketball at Lloyd Memorial High School in Erlanger, Kentucky. In his senior season, Walker led Lloyd Memorial to a 26-7 record, averaging 18.8 points and 11.1 rebounds per game. He shot an efficient 61.8% from the floor and 47.7% from behind the arc.

He finished his high school career as Lloyd’s all-time leading scorer with 1,922 points and 1,196 rebounds, while being named First Team All-State and 9th-Region Player of the Year.