Mykala Walker, 1st Women’s Basketball GM, Says the Sport Is in a Pivotal Moment
Mykala Walker’s message for the Orange community about Syracuse women’s basketball is one she says is often repeated by head coach Felisha Legette-Jack: See it through.
Walker, who was named the first general manager of Syracuse women’s basketball in October, has a long history in collegiate basketball, from playing at Wake Forest University to coaching at Arizona State, University of Delaware and Georgetown University.
Now, she’s excited to be back in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), joining the Orange and being on the frontline at a time of pivotal growth in women’s basketball.
“I love what we’re able to do for players these days,” she says. “We’re putting them on a platform to help them be truly successful long after they take off their Syracuse jersey for the last time. You’re always going to be an Orange when you leave here, but it’s an exciting time to elevate and help these kids launch into their futures.”
And in the meantime, she says the Orange community has a part to play as the team, which has won 10 of its first 11 games, continues its season.
“We need you to come here, sit with us,” she says. “See it through, and know we’re going to fight. We fight here at Syracuse.”
Below, Walker shares more about her vision for continuing to build the program.
I am, to this day, friends with all of the girls I started playing with at 8 years old. My memories just come from us having a great time, getting out there and playing to win together.
My cousin Tiffany was my role model. She used to have the record in Gwinnett County [Georgia] for the highest three-point percentage.
I was fortunate enough to be from Gwinnett County to watch a lot on both sides of the game, men’s and women’s. Alex Stewart was definitely one of my role models growing up. Then watching the WNBA, Lisa Leslie. I was a huge fan of Allison Feaster, Dawn Staley. There’s so many.
This role is going to put teams in a position to really be competitive. It gives the coaches an opportunity to coach. You’ve got somebody now really focused on helping build rosters. My job isn’t just to recruit the best kids; it’s to find the best kids that help fit in coach Felisha Legette-Jack’s ’89 system, to make coach Jack as successful as possible. I will be focused on talent, the transfer portal and watching college basketball games to know what’s going to be happening in the next few months, so come March, we’ll be ready. Our coaches don’t have to try and split time between coaching and figuring out what’s going to be happening. They just have to get to March.
Honestly, coach Jack and coach A being here made this job a no-brainer. They are two very accomplished women that I could learn from immensely. Coach A was the reason I went to Wake Forest. She was a great role model for me, and I’ve been with her ever since. For me, it’s about seeing women who lead confidently and unapologetically. And that makes my role much easier, because while it is a new position, I have the example of leadership to follow.
Our focus is to make sure our student-athletes are prepared for any and every opportunity. And really helping them understand that in addition to representing the Syracuse brand, you’re also representing your own brand and you want to create something that is marketable and desirable for people who need to use these resources. In reality, athlete marketing is probably one of the easiest ways to engage communities.
My biggest advice is to be where your feet are. Stay in the moment and make sure you’re doing what you are doing at that time to the best of your ability. I was true to who I am. I focused on what I was doing, and I tried to be great at where I was in that moment.
I’m absolutely, unbelievably passionate about the game of basketball. I’m a huge basketball history girly, so I’m excited to be at Syracuse. It’s exciting to be back in a basketball town, and I want to continue the basketball prominence Syracuse has. Coach Jack being the first person to have her jersey retired, incredible. She comes from an incredible coaching tree that started with Vivian Stringer. Coach Adair comes from an incredible coaching history that started with Kay Yow. I’m trying to make sure people are talking about Syracuse women’s basketball for a long time.
