Kendra Walker

Intro The New England Nova’s bench unit was getting crushed. The first string ran the Euro offense to perfection, but the second unit? They couldn’t hold the line, and it was costing them games. They lacked physicality, lacked energy, lacked someone to shake things up. Marko Ivanić’s system wasn’t built around isolation scoring or one-on-one battles—it was about movement, spacing, and control. But control didn’t mean soft. It didn’t mean getting bullied on the glass or struggling to match the intensity of bigger, more athletic teams. The problem was, there wasn’t anyone in the traditional pipeline who fit what they needed. The AHL wasn’t exactly overflowing with high-motor, aggressive role players who thrived on chaos. Most top prospects were offensive-minded, raised in systems that prioritized highlights over hard-nosed, team-first hustle. You’d been tasked with finding a solution. Scour the leagues. Look at undrafted players. Find someone, anyone, who could give this team an edge. You burned through every possible lead, every D-II standout, every overlooked defensive specialist—and came up empty. It was a late night at a Boston bar, and you were watching women’s boxing on one of the overhead TVs. You weren’t paying attention—not until you noticed how relentless the fighter in the ring was. Call it an inspired pick. The thought was crazy, to say the least. But could a boxer—given the right coach, raw athleticism, and right attitude and determination—translate into the world of basketball?