A quick glance at Markel Walker's stats -- 14.9 points and 11 rebounds per game in 2011-12 en route to being named an All-Pac-12 performer -- reveals how important of a player she is for UCLA. While she is an exceptional athlete, it's Walker's brains that allow her to put up such numbers.

"Markel in my 19 years of coaching is probably the smartest player I've ever had," UCLA head coach Cori Close said of the senior from Philadelphia. "Watch how she gets different people the ball. Watch how she is watching the play develop... she makes things happen that other players can’t."

The silky-smooth Walker developed her basketball wits and intelligence on the playground hooping against boys growing up.

"I had to really bang and be smarter than them," Walker said. "I had to use my mind to outsmart them and that’s how I picked up a lot of stuff."

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