. ▁ ▁However , ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁W N BA ▁season , ▁Walker ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁Minnesota ▁Lyn x ▁for ▁its ▁pre - season ▁training ▁camp , ▁but ▁was ▁cut ▁from ▁the ▁team ▁final ▁ro ster ▁shortly ▁afterwards . ▁Walker ▁spent ▁that ▁summer ▁playing ▁over se as ▁on ▁a ▁professional ▁women ' s ▁league ▁team ▁in ▁Italy . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁she ▁signed ▁a ▁free ▁agent ▁contract ▁with ▁the ▁Port land ▁Fire , ▁and ▁played ▁with ▁them ▁for ▁three ▁seasons ▁until ▁the ▁team ▁was ▁dis band ed ▁due ▁to ▁financial ▁difficulties . ▁ ▁On ▁April ▁ 2 4 , ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁the ▁W N BA ▁held ▁a ▁Dis pers al ▁draft , ▁where ▁various ▁former ▁players ▁from ▁the ▁newly - def unct ▁Port land ▁Fire ▁and ▁Miami ▁Sol ▁teams ▁were ▁chosen ▁by ▁the ▁existing ▁W N BA ▁teams . ▁Walker ▁was ▁selected ▁by ▁the ▁Sac r amento ▁Mon arch s ▁as ▁the ▁fifth ▁overall ▁pick ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁W N BA ▁Dis pers al ▁D raft . ▁ ▁Walker ▁played ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 3 - 0 8 ▁seasons ▁with ▁the ▁Mon arch s , ▁and ▁even ▁helped ▁the ▁team ▁win ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁W N BA ▁Final s ▁by ▁defe ating ▁the ▁Connecticut ▁Sun , ▁three ▁games ▁to ▁one . ▁ ▁When ▁the ▁Mon arch s ▁fol ded ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 0