Basketball On The Internet.

LUCAS Walker will bring a whole new energy level to the Adelaide 36ers according to its NBL championship-winning coach Joey Wright.

The supremely athletic Walker, 30 and 201cm, has spent his NBL career with Melbourne Tigers and its successor United, but was snapped up as a free agent by the Sixers.

Walker and former United teammate Mark Worthington – who is heading to Cairns Taipans – were the last two players cut from Australia’s FIBA World Cup Boomers squad last year but when he returned to Melbourne, he found himself relegated to the bench behind David Barlow.

As a result he ticks one of the boxes Wright likes, a desire to prove himself.

“Lucas legitimately can play one-through-five,” Wright said.

WALKING MAN: Lucas Walker can "play 1-through-5".

“For us he’ll definitely play multiple positions and I’ll use him the way I did Sam Mackinnon (in Brisbane’s championship season) guarding one through five.

“He’ll play some ‘point forward’ for us and pull opposition bigs away from the rim.

“And he’s a great energy guy and a great teammate.”

Walker completes the Sixers’ eight Australian signings.

Captain Adam Gibson, swingman Brendan Teys and power forward Anthony Petrie all now are expected to return, joining fellow “core” players Daniel Johnson and Mitch Creek.

Guard Nathan Sobey, 24 and 193cm, who was a development player last season at Cairns after a solid college career at Wyoming University, and Matt Hodgson complete the local roster.

Hodgson is a 211cm shot-blocking beast who played his college basketball at St Mary’s College in California but struggled to secure a roster spot last season with United due to a knee injury.

His signing still is subject to him passing a fitness test.

“Matt has a huge upside and he may be the best shot-blocker since Simon Dwight, as long as he can stay healthy,” Wright said.

Like Hodgson, Walker also attended St Mary’s, the college which helped launch Matthew Dellavedova and Patty Mills on their roads to stardom.

Mostly cast as a small forward, he has played 131 NBL games and last season averaged 7.5 points at 50 per cent, 5.1 rebounds and 1.0 assists coming off the bench for United.

“He will join us after he concludes his SEABL commitments with Dandenong,” Wright said.

Power forward Brock Motum, who had signed for the 2015-16 NBL season but with NBA and European “out” clauses, will exercise those options and not be back, Wright said.

For his imports, Wright is looking for a 198cm scoring forward and a combination guard, but is in no hurry, the NBA Summer League still on the horizon.

Jamar Wilson, who won the 36ers’ MVP award last season, has not been ruled out, but Luke Schenscher, B.J. Anthony and Peter Crawford all remain free agents.

GONE: Luke Schenscher, left, and BJ Anthony

Schenscher said he was not planning on leaving Australia and would look at his NBL options.

“I definitely plan on continuing to play,” Schenscher said today.

“I’ve got nothing really solid at this stage to report.”

Schenscher would be a good fit at Wollongong Hawks, where the club boasts potentially only Larry Davidson as a “big” following the departure of Luke Nevill and retirements of Dave Gruber and Adam Ballinger.

He also could be a contributor at Townsville where he previously has played and been a Crocodiles’ MVP winner.

Crawford currently is playing in SA’s Premier League with West Adelaide Bearcats while Anthony, who suffered a season-ending Achilles rupture, still is undergoing rehabilitation and may not be ready in time for the start of the 2015-16 NBL season.

ONLINE

The official yarn for News Corp re Walker: http://bit.ly/1BrTxUf