NEW ORLEANS — When Devon Walker enters the James W. Wilson Center for Intercollegiate Athletics on Tulane’s campus, he smiles.



People come to say hi, and he makes the rounds to the offices of his friends. He’s a familiar face around the building. An inspirational one, too.



None of Tulane’s current athletes were members of the Green Wave when Walker was paralyzed during a football game Sept. 8, 2012, but he’s remained a constant presence around the team. The football program has honored him with his No. 18 visible at Yulman Stadium and on the flag that is waved when the team runs out of the tunnel.



Now Tulane is making sure it honors Walker permanently. At Thursday’s football opener against Wake Forest, Tulane will retire No. 18 across all sports.



“I don’t have words to describe it,” Walker told The Athletic. “I was really content just having the 18 up there. It really...