Kemba Walker

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Lore & Background

Walker attended Rice High School in Harlem, New York City. Over his senior year, he posted 18.2 points and 5.3 assists per game, earning him a spot on the prestigious McDonald's All-American Team. He was able to play in the elite New York City Gauchos, the premier AAU basketball program for youth, and was joined by fellow Big East Conference talents-to-be Jordan Theodore and Darryl Bryant. Walker's team finished No. 1 in the nation. Considered a five-star recruit by Rivals.com, Walker was listed as the No. 5 point guard and the No. 14 player in the nation in 2008. During his freshman year at the University of Connecticut, Walker played in every contest and was named to the Big East All-Freshman Team. He helped the Huskies achieve a number one seed in the 2009 NCAA tournament. Despite starting in only two games, he averaged 25.5 minutes per contest, far more than any regular non-starter. He also helped the Huskies advance to the 2009 Final Four with a 23-point effort in the Elite Eight versus Missouri. During the Huskies' 2009–2010 season, Walker started in all 34 of their games and contributed an average of 14.6 points. He also led the team in scoring for the eighth time in the last nine games of the season, with 18 points at Virginia Tech. Walker was named by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) to the First Team All-District. Connecticut clinched a 4-seed in the NCAA's 2010 National Invitation Tournament only to fall short to Virginia Tech and finish the relatively disappointing season going 18–16 (7–11) in conference play. Walker rose to national prominence in his third year at Connecticut. This was because, twelve games into his junior campaign, he distinguished himself as the leading scorer in the nation, posting 26.7 points per contest; in addition, Walker averaged 5 rebounds and 3.8 assists. It was then that he appeared on one of the six regional covers of Sports Illustrated magazine. In the 2011 Big East tournament, Walker hit the game-clinching shot at the buzzer to beat Brad Wannamaker and the Pittsburgh Panthers, ranked No. 3 overall, thereby advancing the Huskies to the semifinals. Walker led UConn to victory in the ensuing Big East Championship against the Louisvill

In Their Own Story

The 2014–15 season showcased Walker's clutch gene and scoring explosion. On October 29, he led an overtime comeback against Milwaukee after the Hornets trailed by 24 points, hitting a three-pointer with 1.6 seconds left to force OT and another to seal the win. He signed a four-year, $48 million extension immediately following. His scoring prowess peaked on December 27 against Orlando, where he set a franchise record with 42 points, including 35 in the second half. Just days later, he joined an elite group of Hornets players by posting three consecutive 30-point games (30, 33, and 31) between January 3 and 7. The following season, on January 18, 2016, Walker set a new career high and franchise record with 52 points in a double-overtime win over the Utah Jazz, shooting 16-of-34 from the field and 14-of-15 from the free-throw line.

Reader's Guide

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Did You Know?

• Walker was drafted 9th overall in the 2011 NBA draft, not undrafted.
• Walker's 52-point game was against the Utah Jazz on January 18, 2016, not the Indiana Pacers.
• Walker is not the Hornets' all-time assists leader (Muggsy Bogues is) nor all-time steals leader (Muggsy Bogues or Gerald Wallace).
• Other players have scored 50+ points for the Hornets, including Glen Rice (56 points).

College Dominance

Walker played for the Connecticut Huskies, helping them reach the 2009 Final Four as a freshman. In his junior year (2010–11), he was the nation's second-leading scorer with 26.7 points per game and appeared on one of six Sports Illustrated regional covers. He led UConn to the 2011 NCAA championship, winning the Most Outstanding Player award. During the 2011 Big East Tournament, he scored an unprecedented 130 points in five games to earn tournament MVP honors, leading the Huskies to their first five-in-five conference title. He was named consensus first-team All-American and won the Bob Cousy Award for top point guard.

NBA Career Highlights

Selected ninth overall by the Charlotte Bobcats in 2011, Walker signed a rookie scale contract on December 11, 2011. He hit his first career game-winner on November 14, 2012, against Minnesota (22 points). In 2013–14, he recorded an overtime buzzer-beater against Toronto and a career-high 16 assists versus Detroit. On January 18, 2016, he set a franchise record with 52 points in a double-overtime win over Utah. He is a four-time NBA All-Star and won the Eastern Conference Player of the Week award multiple times, including for games played Jan 5–11, 2015, where he averaged 30.3 points.

Early Foundations

Walker attended Rice High School in Harlem, New York City. As a junior, he played against Derrick Rose at Madison Square Garden in a 53–51 victory. In his senior year, he averaged 18.2 points and 5.3 assists per game, earning McDonald's All-American status. He played for the elite New York City Gauchos AAU program, leading them to a No. 1 national ranking alongside future talents like Jordan Theodore and Darryl Bryant. Rivals.com listed him as a five-star recruit, the No. 5 point guard, and the No. 14 player in the nation in 2008.

Legacy and Character

Walker is a two-time winner of the NBA Sportsmanship Award. In 2011, he was a finalist for the Oscar Robertson Trophy but finished second to Jimmer Fredette. After his playing career with the Bobcats/Hornets, Celtics, Knicks, Mavericks, and AS Monaco (where he won an LNB Élite championship), he became a player enhancement coach for the Charlotte Hornets. He was added to the Huskies of Honor in 2011 as the first men's basketball player to receive the distinction since the class was announced in December 2006.