Legacy of Derrick Walton Jr and Zak Irvin

It’s only been an hour and boy am I going to miss these two. Derrick was a warrior that clicked at the right time and gave heart and passion. His skill was there and he put it together at the right time. As much as Zak killed us he picked us up. He played with heart and led this team through a lot for 3 years. I am going to miss all these guys brought and hope they can get the right opportunities and sneak into the association. Thank you Zak and Derrick! I hope they got X and Charles/Ibi ready to pick up where they left off.

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Thank you Derrick and Zak. As much as it hurt to lose this game, I am very glad it ended with a phenomenal effort from these two leaders. They almost willed us to a win against a very talented team with little help elsewhere. Wilson, Robinson, MAAR and Wagner all had some of their worst games in recent memory. I will never forget the way Derrick stepped up the last month and Zak’s heart. Special special players, and again, thank you

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Awesome season - what a way to go out, winning 12 of the last 15 games with the only 3 losses in OT@Minny, baseball pass @NW, and 1 pt to Oregon neutral court. Big 10 Tourney champs, Sweet 16 appearance, and dished out a LOT of beat down losses to some teams.

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We are really going to miss these guys next year. They put a great ending on their senior year. What a fun ride. Thank you Derrick and Zak.

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I am so proud of them. They battled injuries and adversity.

They grew up and gained larger roles earlier than they may have expected.

It has been an absolute joy to watch. They both made play after play and have done so much for this program.

I can’t believe its been 4 years. You guys grew up before our eyes as players and men.

Both will leave with degrees from the University of Michigan.

I don’t know if I will ever meet Derrick and Zak in person, but if I ever have the honor, I would shake their hands and say Thank you.

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I was a student when Michigan’s banners came down from Crisler. It’s impressive enough that Zak and Derrick brought the last missing banner back to the arena. However, I think the past month has given them a legacy similar to Stu Douglass’s and Zak Novak’s also. Just as an observer, it feels like they’ve helped re-create a championship mentality that will benefit the remaining players.

Now that Michigan’s been back in the tournament for several years, after a few regimes in exile, I’m really struck at how much luck plays a role in the legacies of our teams. The phenomenal comeback against Kansas was really fortunate, and Harrison’s three pointer and Walton’s missed three leaves Michigan on the other side of the ledger. If Walton had just a little more of the Kansas game luck last night, or if Burke had a little less, how different things would appear superficially. However, Walton and Irvin brought the same level of character and substance.

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