Recently, the Boston Celtics traded Kemba Walker to Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Al Horford, Moses Brown, and a 2025 second-round selection. However, OKC agreed to a buyout, making Walker an unrestricted free agent.
The 31-year-old signed a 2 year $17M deal with the New York Knicks. According to The Athletic reporter Mike Vorkunov,
Kemba Walker says he’s happy to be in New York with an organization that believes in him.
I definitely feel like Boston believed in me, but they traded me. So, you know. I don’t think that they didn’t believe in me… My home team, the Knicks, they believed in me.
In his 2 seasons at the TD Garden, Walker averaged 9.9 PPG, 4.8 APG, and 1.0 SPG on a 42.3% shooting from the field and 37.7% from the 3-point line.
The 4x All-Star is a New York native and has played at MSG during his high school days.
This feeling has been like no other. I’m randomly getting goosebumps. It just feels good to be back home. said Walker.
According to the New York Post,
I talked to my friends and my family sometimes, talking about sometimes possibly, maybe, ending my career with the Knicks. “I’d just never seen it really ever happening. I just had no idea. But now, yeah, it’s the most unreal feeling. I can’t really explain it. I can’t put it into words how amazing this feeling is, being at home.
Walker further added,
I played [in the Garden] so many different times growing up. It’s definitely going to be different now wearing a Knicks jersey. It’s going to be better. Ten Times Better. … I think everything is just perfect. Everything. Perfect timing.
It is the ultimate dream of an NBA player to play under the bright lights of MSG. Some of the superstars to have iconic games at the basketball mecca are Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Stephen Curry.
Recently, appointed Knicks guard Kemba Walker couldn’t hide his excitement from playing at the Mecca and was quoted saying,
Whoever (family and friends) is watching this, I only get 4 tickets (to Knicks games).
Kemba Walker: “Whoever (family and friends) is watching this, I only get 4 tickets (to Knicks games).”
— Kristian Winfield (@Krisplashed) August 17, 2021
Walker is widely regarded as one of the most talented point guards in the league. NBA legend Michael Jordan was very vocal about his confidence in Walker and even pursued the star to stay with the Hornets before he signed with the Celtics.
