He is an almost 6ft2 tall bundle of energy, likes "Pancakes!" and knows his new coach very well: The Bayern Basketball team has signed forward Corey Walden. The soon-to-be 29-year-old American has signed a two-year contract with the German Cup winner until 2023. Walden was already in Munich this week and completed the medical checks - training at the Audi Dome will start in mid-August.
"He's a basketball personality and an excellent team player - we're super happy he's joining us."
Daniele Baiesi about Corey Walden
"I know coach Trinchieri from Belgrade, we had a brilliant season and were on top in every league until we were cut short because of Corona, the connection then was very strong," Walden said Friday. "I want to and know I will help also now in Munich where I am needed, so we can have a lot of success. I know Sisko from the Adriatic League, he's a great passer and I'm more of a scoring point guard; so it's a great fit and we'll complement each other very well. But I'm not only looking forward to him, but to all the other teammates and the staff in Munich."
Playmaking and strong on-ball defense
Walden, who is based in Daytona Beach, Florida, and will no longer be 28 as of next Thursday, averaged 10.5 points and 1.8 rebounds in the EuroLeague last season for Serbian Adriatic champions Red Star Belgrade. In the Adriatic League (ABA) he scored eleven points per game with a three-point rate of almost 41 percent.
"Corey has been on our shortlist for some time and he knows the Trinchieri system," FCBB sporting director Daniele Baiesi commented on the now sealed deal. "He is a super addition to our playmaking and also a reinforcement on defense. He's a basketball personality and an excellent team player - we're super happy he's joining us."
After his college days and a year in the NBA's training league plus a short contract with the Boston Celtics, Walden began his European pro career five years ago in Belgium before playing big for two seasons in Israel with Holon. In his second year there, he was named SuperLeague MVP after posting 18.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and five assists per game.
MVP in Israel, experience with Trinchieri and ABA champion with Red Star.
Then came the switch to Partizan - and to coach Trinchieri, today's Bayern coach, where together they had the best record in both the EuroCup (9.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.8 apg, 45% three) and the ABA until the end of the season. This aroused desires at the big arch-rival Red Star ("of course, this caused some emotions in Belgrade"), where Walden appeared in the EuroLeague for the first time and played a good 23 minutes on the court.
COREY WALDEN (*5. August 1992, Ormond Beach, Florida/USA)
Point Guard/Shooting Guard – 6ft2 – 195 lbs
Until 2010: Seebreeze High School, Daytona Beach
2010 –2015: Stetson University, Eastern Kentucky University (NCAA)
2015 – 2016: Main Red Claws (NBA G League)
2016 – 2017: BC Telent Oostende (BEL)
2017 – 2019: Hapoel Holon B.C. (ISR)
2019 – 2020: Partizan Belgrad (SRB)
2020 – 2021: Roter Stern Belgrad (SRB)
Awards/Championships
Adriatic League 2021
Serbische Meisterschaft 2021
Serbischer Pokal 2020
Supercup Adriatic League 2019
Israelischer Pokal 2018
Belgischer Pokal 2017
Belgische Meisterschaft 2017
Liga-MVP Israel 2019
All-Israeli League First Team 2019
Israeli League All-Star 2019
First-team All-OVC 2015 (NCAA)
NCAA Division I Steal Leader 2015
OVC Defensive Player of the Year 2014, 2015 (NCAA)
OVC Tournament MVP 2014 (NCAA)
OVC All-Newcomer Team 2013 (NCAA)
A-Sun All-Freshman Team 2013 (NCAA)