On the recruiting trail with Heights’ Zyanna Walker

By Joanna Chadwick

Heights guard Zyanna Walker missed the last few games of her sophomore season when she tore the ACL and meniscus in her left knee.

Four months into her rehabilitation, she’s getting stronger.

“The process has been good,” Walker said. “It’s very mental. I try to keep a positive outlook. Every day I’m improving and I keep working.”

Walker tore her ACL on a layup when her knee buckled after getting bumped by a defender. She missed the postseason, including a trip to the Class 6A tournament.

Walker is an outstanding basketball player, who can seemingly score at will.

She has been offered by 20 teams from the Big 12, SEC and Pac 12. She has taken visits to Wichita State, Kansas State, Iowa State, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma.

The progression in her game has been evident.

“As a sophomore, I became more of a leader and more of a dominant player,” Walker said. “I had more confidence in my game with my shot taking. My outside shooting was probably a lot better as a sophomore, and I contributed a lot on rebounding.

“… I can get to the basket — that’s something that I’ve been good at and learned when I was young. I really worked on my shot, though, in the summer.”

While Walker’s natural positions are at the 1 or 2, she played primarily the 4 at Heights.

Her focus for the 2020-21 season? Win a 6A title.

“This year my main focus is to win state,” she said. “We have a lot of talent.”