Chris Walker joined the California men’s basketball coaching staff in April 2017, and was elevated to the program's associate head coach in June 2018.
Walker owns nearly two decades of coaching experience and has been a part of four NCAA Tournament squads with eight total postseason appearances. He has coached four NBA Draft selections - Brandon Armstrong (Pepperdine), Michael Bradley (Villanova), J.R. Giddens (New Mexico) and Dan Langhi (Vanderbilt).
Walker's first year with the Bears saw Cal upset Stanford at the Farm for the first time since 2014, and the Bears also took wins on the road at San Diego State and Seattle. Working closely with the guards, Walker helped Darius McNeill establish himself as one of the top three-point shooters in the Pac-12 as McNeill broke Cal's freshman record for three-point field goals made. McNeill, who hit 67 three-pointers in 32 appearances, topped Allen Crabbe's record of 62.
Prior to joining the Golden Bears, Walker worked as a consultant for Under Armour and as a color analyst for CBS Sports Network and the American Sports Network.
Walker served as the interim head coach at Texas Tech for the 2012-13 season. Under his direction, the Red Raiders improved in nine statistical categories, including points per game, steals and assists. Texas Tech led the Big 12 in steals and ranked 41st in the country while posting improved overall and conference records. Off the court, five student-athletes were named Academic All-Big 12 members. Walker joined the Texas Tech staff in 2011 as the associate head coach, signing three ESPN Top 150 recruits as the program’s lead recruiting coordinator.
Before arriving in Lubbock, he spent two seasons at his alma mater – Villanova – under Jay Wright. Walker was responsible for on-court teaching and development, recruiting and scouting, helping the Wildcats to a 46-20 record with a pair of trips to the NCAA Tournament. Villanova recorded its best start in school and Big East history (20-0) and earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Walker helped the Wildcats sign the nation’s second-ranked recruiting class, including McDonald’s All-American JayVaughn Pinkston. Walker also assisted Wright on the 2010 USA Select Team.
Walker spent two seasons at the University of New Mexico as an assistant for current UCLA head coach Steve Alford from 2007-09, contributing to a turnaround in which the Lobos went from eighth in a nine-team Mountain West Conference in 2007 to a share of the conference title in 2009. As the team’s recruiting coordinator, he landed a top 30 recruiting class and coached All-American and eventual Boston Celtics first-round pick J.R. Giddens.
Walker’s career also includes stops as an assistant at UMass under Steve Lappas, who he also coached with at Villanova in 2000-01, and as an associate head coach at Pepperdine (1999-00) and Vanderbilt (1996-99). In his single season in Malibu, Pepperdine clinched the West Coast Conference regular-season title and an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament.
He began his coaching career at Loyola Marymount in 1992, where he helped the Lions improve from eighth in the West Coast Conference in his first season to second four years later.
After a stellar prep career at Houston Milby High School, where he was a Converse All-American and an All-State and All-Greater Houston selection, Walker went on to Villanova in 1988 to play for head coach Rollie Massimino.
As a player, Walker started 96 games at point guard and helped the Wildcats to two NCAA Tournament appearances and two NIT appearances. His 404 career assists ranked seventh among program records and his 185 career steals ranked fourth. A two-time All-Big Five selection, he also competed in Russia and Finland, while representing the Big East All-Stars.
Walker graduated from Villanova in 1992 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications.
Coaching Career
2018-present Associate Head Coach (California)
2017-18 Assistant Coach (California)
2012-13 Interim Head Coach (Texas Tech)
2011-12 Associate Head Coach (Texas Tech)
2009-11 Assistant Coach (Villanova)
2007-09 Assistant Coach (New Mexico)
2004-05 Assistant Coach (Massachusetts)
2001-03 Assistant Coach (Massachusetts)
2000-01 Assistant Coach (Villanova)
1999-00 Associate Head Coach (Pepperdine)
1996-99 Associate Head Coach (Vanderbilt)
1992-96 Assistant Coach (Loyola Marymount)
