Kemba Walker has decided to walk away and retire from the game he loves.
Walker, a four-time NBA All-Star and a national champion with the UConn Huskies in 2011, where he won the Most Outstanding Player award after taking over the NCAA tournament, announced his decision to step away from the game on Tuesday at the age of 34.
Walker was a bit of a journeyman, playing for four teams in 12 NBA seasons; the Charlotte Hornets, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks. He spent his last season as a pro overseas, playing for the EuroLeague’s AS Monaco. Now he is moving on to the next chapter of his life.
“I’m here to share that I am officially retiring from basketball,” Walker wrote in his retirement announcement. “This has all been a dream. When I look back, I still can’t believe the things I achieved in my career. …
“Basketball will forever be a part of my life so this isn’t goodbye. I’m excited for what’s next.”
Embed from Getty ImagesAt the peak of his powers, Walker was one of the game’s best scoring point guards. A five-star recruit out of high school, Walker came through in a big way and delivered on his promise in three seasons at UConn. He earned consensus All-America honors as a junior and led UConn to a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament. The Huskies defeated John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats and the Butler Bulldogs after advancing to the Final Four to secure the program’s third national championship.
He joined the then-Charlotte Bobcats as the No. 9 pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. He was a driving force, helping lead Charlotte to a pair of playoff berths and made three All-Star teams in eight seasons with the franchise.
The Hornets dealt Walker to the Boston Celtics prior to the 2019-20 campaign. Walker made another All-Star team in his inaugural year in Boston, but he was never the same after that and went on to play three more NBA seasons. A nagging knee injury that required a trio of surgeries throughout his career limited him to a sparse nine games in his final NBA season with the Dallas Mavericks. He was a seldom used player with Monaco last season and is now calling it a career.
In 12 NBA seasons, Walker averaged 19.3 points, 5.3 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game. He shot 41.8% from the field and 36% from 3-point range. At the height of his career, he could not be stopped, averaging 25.6 points and 5.9 assists per game in his final season in Charlotte.
Walker leaves a basketball legacy as a UConn legend and the face of the revival of the Hornets from the Bobcats after the NBA’s return to ‘Queen City’. Walker ended his NBA career as the Hornets’ all-time leader in points, 3-pointers, win shares and minutes played and is also top 10 in franchise history in assists (second), steals (third), games played (third) and rebounds (eighth).
