Alabama nixes recent basketball transfer following marijuana arrest

Tony Tsoukalas • TideIllustrated

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Wichita State basketball transfer Jaykwon Walton, who was set to join Alabama this season, was arrested late Saturday night on a charge of second-degree possession of marijuana, the Tuscaloosa Police Department confirmed to Tide Illustrated.

Following news of the arrest, Alabama released a statement from head coach Nate Oats, stating that “Alabama is no longer recruiting Jaykwon Walton and he will not be a student-athlete at The University of Alabama.” Walton announced his transfer from Wichita State to Alabama last month.

According to TPD spokeswoman Stephanie Taylor, officers received multiple complaints from residents about a large number of vehicles parked in their parking lots at apartment complexes off the Strip. Upon arrival, officers approached an occupied vehicle in the 400 block of Reed Street at 10:11 p.m. The officers smelled marijuana and asked the three men to exit the car.

Walton, 21, of the Pike Road community in Montgomery County, was in the front passenger seat and informed an officer of a loaded firearm under his seat. While retrieving the firearm, the officer noticed a rolling tray, a baggie containing approximately 20 grams of marijuana and a half-rolled blunt in the passenger side floorboard.

Officers located two more loaded weapons in the vehicle and another baggie containing 12 grams of marijuana that belonged to back-seat passenger Kameron Deshawn Harris, 21, of Bessemer. Harris and Walton were both charged with second-degree possession of marijuana and released after posting $500 bond. The driver was released with no charges.

Walton averaged 13.9 points and 5.3 rebounds for Wichita State last season. Before his lone season with the Shockers, the 6-foot-7, 206-pound wing spent a season with Shelton State Community College averaging 12.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 steals in 22 games. He began his college career at Georgia, appearing in nine games over two seasons with the Bulldogs from 2019-2021.