Kemba Walker is the all-time leader in points for the Charlotte Hornets, helping the franchise make their last Playoff appearance in 2016 as their star point guard. The 34-year-old guard announced his retirement from basketball with an emotional message on social media.
“I want to start this by thanking God for everything he has given me. Basketball has done more for me than I could’ve ever imagined, and I am super thankful for the amazing journey I’ve had. With that, I’m here to share that I am officially retiring from the game of basketball. This has all been a dream. When I look back, I still can’t believe the things | achieved in my career.”
“I know I couldn’t have made it to this point without my incredible support system around me. There are so many people to thank – my mom, dad, and entire family, my teammates who have become family, and the coaches who believed in me and brought out the best in me. Basketball will forever be a part of my life so this isn’t goodbye. I’m excited for what’s next.”
His teased ‘what’s next’ has already been revealed, as Walker is rejoining the franchise that drafted him and joining the Hornets as a player enhancement coach, according to Shams Charania.
“After retiring from a 12-year NBA career, four-time All-Star Kemba Walker is rejoining the Charlotte Hornets on new coach Charles Lee’s coaching staff as a player enhancement coach.”
Walker had a phenomenal career, playing for the Hornets, Celtics, Thunder, and Mavericks before leaving the NBA in 2023 to play a season at A.S. Monaco in the EuroLeague. After a quiet year in Monaco, Walker returns to Charlotte to help usher in a new era under new management, ownership, and coaching.
Kemba Walker’s Career Was Underrated
Kemba Walker’s name will be enshrined in the annals of NCAA basketball history for the incredible run he led the UConn Huskies before winning the 2011 National Championship. Walker averaged 16.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists over his college career, getting drafted to the Hornets with the ninth overall pick in the stacked 2011 NBA Draft.
Kemba Walker brought relevance to a Charlotte Hornets organization who have had nothing to cheer about in a generation. The limitations imposed by the mismanagement of the team’s roster never allowed Walker to win a playoff series on the franchise, but taking them to the Playoffs in 2014 and to a seven-game loss in 2016 itself is an achievement that people underestimate.
The team hasn’t been back since and didn’t really make it too often before, missing eight of the nine playoffs from 2003 to when Walker was drafted in 2011. He would go on to play for the Boston Celtics in 2019, but after one All-Star appearance and knee injuries, he quickly faded from the spotlight, playing for the Knicks afterward.
His last NBA season was with the Mavericks in their disastrous 2022-23 season where they missed the Playoffs, leaving the franchise mid-season because he was waived after putting up 32 points in his final NBA game. That’s a fitting way to say goodbye.
From 2011 National Champ to the NBA…
Kemba Walker’s journey to a 12-year NBA career wasn’t given 🙌 pic.twitter.com/9fZdPBbHP9
— NBA (@NBA) July 3, 2024
He averaged 19.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 5.3 assists over his career, making four All-Star teams and one All-NBA team. He will be an influential figure in the young Hornets locker room, who will see Walker’s former teammate Josh Green join the mix of a young core with LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller at the center of it.
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