Kemba Walker
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Kemba Hudley Walker (born May 8, 1990) is an American professional
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
player for the
Dallas Mavericks The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference (NBA), Western Conferenc ...
of the
National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...
(NBA). Walker was picked ninth overall by the
Charlotte Bobcats Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populous ...
in the
2011 NBA draft The 2011 NBA draft was held on June 23, 2011, at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The draft started at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (23:00 UTC), and was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. Kia Motors was the presenting sponsor ...
. After graduating from Rice High School in 2008, he played
college basketball In United States colleges, top-tier basketball is governed by collegiate athletic bodies including National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the United States Collegiate Athleti ...
for the
Connecticut Huskies The UConn Huskies (or Connecticut Huskies) are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Connecticut, located in Storrs. The school is a member of the NCAA's Division I and the Big East Conference. The university's fo ...
. In their 2010–11 season, Walker was the nation's second-leading scorer and was named consensus first-team All-American; he also led the Huskies to the 2011 NCAA championship and claimed the tournament's Most Outstanding Player award. Walker is a four-time
NBA All-Star The National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star Game is an annual exhibition basketball game. It is the main event of the NBA All-Star Weekend. Originally, the All-Star Game featured a conference-based format, featuring a team composed of al ...
.


High school career

Walker attended Rice High School in
Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street (Manhattan), 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and 110th Street (Manhattan), ...
, New York City. During his junior year, Walker played once at
Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylva ...
against
Simeon Career Academy Neal F. Simeon Career Academy (formerly known as Westcott Vocational High School, Neal F. Simeon Vocational High School, Neal F. Simeon Career Technical Academy), locally known simply as Simeon, is a public four-year vocational high school locate ...
and senior guard
Derrick Rose Derrick Martell Rose (born October 4, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played one year of college basketball for the Memphis Tigers before being drafted ...
in a 53–51 victory. 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 The McDonald's All-American Game is the all-star basketball game played each year for American and Canadian boys' and girls' high school basketball graduates. Consisting of the top players, each team plays a single exhibition game after the concl ...
. 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 The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletic conference that competes in NCAA Division I in ten men's sports and twelve women's sports. Headquartered in New York City, the eleven full-member schools are primarily located in Northeast and M ...
talents-to-be
Jordan Theodore Jordan Theodore (born December 11, 1989) is an American-born naturalized Macedonian professional basketball player who last played for Reyer Venezia of the Lega Basket Serie A. He also represents the senior North Macedonia national team. He playe ...
,
Darryl Bryant Darryl Bryant (born April 25, 1990) known also as Truck Bryant is an American professional basketball player. Standing at 1.87 m (6'1"), he plays at the shooting guard position. After playing four years of college basketball at West Virginia ...
, Devin Hill, and Danny Jennings. Walker's team finished No. 1 in the nation. Considered a five-star recruit by
Rivals.com Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting in the United States. The network was started in 1998 and employs more than 300 personnel. History Rivals.com was founded in 1998 by Jim Heckma ...
, Walker was listed as the No. 5 point guard and the No. 14 player in the nation in 2008.


College career


Freshman year

During his freshman year at the
University of Connecticut The University of Connecticut (UConn) is a public land-grant research university in Storrs, Connecticut, a village in the town of Mansfield. The primary 4,400-acre (17.8 km2) campus is in Storrs, approximately a half hour's drive from Hart ...
, Walker played in every contest and was named to the Big East All-Rookie Team. He helped the
Huskies Husky is a general term for a dog used in the polar regions, primarily and specifically for work as sled dogs. It refers to a traditional northern type, notable for its cold-weather tolerance and overall hardiness. Modern racing huskies that mai ...
achieve a number one seed in the
2009 NCAA tournament The 2009 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament was a single-elimination tournament in which 65 schools competed to determine the national champion of the men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2008–09 basketball ...
. Despite starting in only two games, he averaged 25.5 minutes per contest, easily 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 In the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship or the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship, the "Elite Eight" comprises the final eight teams, representing the regional finals, or national quarterfinals. In Division I and Divis ...
versus
Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
.


Sophomore year

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 Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also ...
. 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 Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also ...
and finish the relatively disappointing season going 18–16 (7–11) in conference play.


Junior year

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 ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...
'' magazine. In the 2011 Big East tournament, Walker hit the game-clinching shot at the buzzer to beat the
Pittsburgh Panthers The Pittsburgh Panthers, commonly also referred to as the Pitt Panthers, are the athletic teams representing the University of Pittsburgh, although the term is colloquially used to refer to other aspects of the university such as alumni, facu ...
, ranked No. 3 overall, thereby advancing the Huskies to the semifinals. Walker led UConn to victory in the ensuing Big East Championship against the
Louisville Cardinals The Louisville Cardinals (also known as the Cards) are the NCAA athletic teams representing the University of Louisville. The Cardinals teams play in the Atlantic Coast Conference, beginning in the 2014 season. While playing in the Big East Co ...
and earned tournament MVP honors in the process. Over five games in as many days, Walker tallied an unprecedented 130 points, a record of points scored for not only the Big East but for any conference tournament in the past 15 seasons. UConn thus became the first school to win five games in five days and earn a conference championship. On March 14, 2011, the U.S. Basketball Writers Association named Walker First Team All-American with only
Fox Sports Fox Sports is the brand name for a number of sports channels, broadcast divisions, programming, and other media around the world. The ''Fox Sports'' name has since been used for other sports media assets. These assets are held mainly by the Fo ...
picking him to the Second Team. His heroic performance in the 2010–11 season also made him a finalist for the Association's college player of the year honors, the
Oscar Robertson Trophy The Oscar Robertson Trophy is given out annually to the outstanding men's college basketball player by the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA). The trophy is considered to be the oldest of its kind and has been given out since 195 ...
. Despite finishing second to
Jimmer Fredette James Taft "Jimmer" Fredette (born February 25, 1989) is an American former professional basketball player. He last played for the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association. Fredette was the 2011 National Player of the Year in college ...
for this award, at least several journalists held that it was rather Walker who deserved the distinction of best player that year. Among other accolades bestowed on him, Walker claimed the
Bob Cousy Award The Bob Cousy Award presented by The College of the Holy Cross (or Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year Award) is an annual basketball award given by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to the top men's collegiate point guard. ...
for college basketball's top point guard in the nation. On April 4, 2011, Walker, with 16 points himself, rallied and led the University of Connecticut to win the Division I Championship, while he won the honor of
NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player At the conclusion of the NCAA men's and women's Division I basketball championships (the "Final Four" tournaments), a media panel selects a Most Outstanding Player (MOP). It is usually awarded to a member of the championship team. There have been ...
. Upon the team's return from Houston, at a pep rally to celebrate the National Title, Walker was added to the
Huskies of Honor Huskies of Honor is a recognition program sponsored by the University of Connecticut (UConn). Similar to a hall of fame, it honors the most significant figures in the history of the UConn Huskies—the university's athletic teams—espec ...
. He became the first men's basketball player to receive the distinction since the inaugural class was announced in December 2006.


Professional career


Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets (2011–2019)


2011–12 season: Rookie season

Walker graduated from UConn in three years. Accordingly, he entered the
2011 NBA draft The 2011 NBA draft was held on June 23, 2011, at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The draft started at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (23:00 UTC), and was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. Kia Motors was the presenting sponsor ...
and was selected ninth overall by the
Charlotte Bobcats Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populous ...
. Walker signed a multi-year shoe deal with
Under Armour Under Armour, Inc. is an American sports equipment company that manufactures footwear, sports and casual apparel. Under Armour's global headquarters are located in Baltimore, Maryland, with additional offices located in Amsterdam (European hea ...
, the first rookie from the 2011 draft class to do so. On December 11, 2011, he signed the rookie scale contract with the Bobcats, and with the injury of point guard
D. J. Augustin Darryl Gerard "D. J." Augustin Jr. (born November 10, 1987) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Texas Longhor ...
, he became their starting point guard for the lockout-shortened season. On January 28, 2012, in a home game against the
Washington Wizards The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference Southeast D ...
, he achieved his first
triple-double In basketball, a double-double is a single-game performance in which a player accumulates ten or more in two of the following five statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots. The first "double" in the term ...
with 20 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds, joining
Boris Diaw Boris Babacar Diaw-Riffiod (born April 16, 1982), better known as Boris Diaw, is a French basketball executive and former player who is the president of Metropolitans 92 of LNB Pro A. Diaw began his playing career in Pro A and returned to that l ...
and
Stephen Jackson Stephen Jesse Jackson (born April 5, 1978) is an American former professional basketball player who played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the New Jersey Nets, Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers, Golden State Warriors, Mi ...
as the only Bobcats in team history to record one. Walker participated in the 2012
Rising Stars Challenge The Rising Stars Challenge is a basketball exhibition game held by the National Basketball Association (NBA) on the Friday before the annual All-Star Game as part of the All-Star Weekend. The current format to be used in 2022 includes first- and ...
during All-Star Weekend.


2012–13 season: Sophomore season

On November 14, 2012, Walker hit the first game-winner of his NBA career against the
Minnesota Timberwolves The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. Founded in 19 ...
. He finished the game with 22 points on 9-of-19 shooting, as well as 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals. On January 21, 2013, he scored a then career-high 35 points against the
Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member team of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its ho ...
. During the 2012–13 season, Walker was selected with teammate
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Michael Anthony Edward Kidd-Gilchrist ( Gilchrist; born September 26, 1993) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Kidd-Gilchrist was drafted second ove ...
to the 2013 Rising Stars Challenge in which they both scored 8 points. Kemba finished the 2012–13 season with averages of 16.7 points, 5.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1 steal per contest. He took significant strides over his rookie year.


2013–14 season: First playoff appearance

On December 18, 2013, Walker hit a buzzer-beating jump shot over
Jonas Valančiūnas Jonas Valančiūnas ( ; ; born 6 May 1992) is a Lithuanian professional basketball player for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected by the Toronto Raptors with the fifth overall pick in the 2011 ...
in overtime to beat the Toronto Raptors. He finished the night with 26 points and 5 rebounds on 10/18 shooting from the field. On February 19, 2014, Walker recorded 23 points, 5 rebounds and a career-high 16 assists in a 116–98 win over the
Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division and play their home games at Li ...
. Five days later, he was awarded the Eastern Conference Player of the Week, having averaged 22.5 points, 8.8 assists, and 5.5 rebounds in the span of seven days. In a home victory over the Orlando Magic on April 4, 2014, Walker recorded his second career triple-double with 13 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds. Playing against the
Miami Heat The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference Southeast Division (NBA), Southe ...
in the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs and with teammate
Al Jefferson Al Ricardo Jefferson (born January 4, 1985) is an American former professional basketball player. He was a high school All-American for Prentiss High School in Mississippi before skipping college to enter the 2004 NBA draft, where he was drafted 1 ...
unable to play due to a
Plantar fasciitis Plantar fasciitis or plantar heel pain (PHP) is a disorder of the plantar fascia, which is the connective tissue which supports the arch of the foot. It results in pain in the heel and bottom of the foot that is usually most severe with the f ...
injury, Walker had an exceptional game four: he finished the game with a playoff franchise-high 29 points, along with 5 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 2 steals. The effort came in a loss as the Heat completed a four-game sweep of the Bobcats.


2014–15 season: Knee surgery

In the newly renamed Charlotte Hornets' opening game against the
Milwaukee Bucks The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded in 1968 ...
on October 29, Walker led an impressive comeback in an overtime 108–106 victory. The Hornets had been 24 points down by the fourth quarter when they staged a comeback; Walker scored a three-pointer with 1.6 seconds left to force overtime and later hit the shot that clinched the game as well. He finished with 26 points, 5 assists, and 6 rebounds. The following day, he signed a four-year, $48 million contract extension with the Hornets. On December 5, 2014, Walker hit his second game-winner of the season in a 103–102 win over the
New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...
. On December 27, in a 94–102 loss to the
Orlando Magic The Orlando Magic are an American professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. The Magic compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The franchise was establ ...
, he scored a then career-high 42 points and set a Charlotte Hornets franchise record for most points scored in a half with his 35 points that he posted in the second. On January 3, against the Orlando Magic, Walker scored 30 points to pass
Kendall Gill Kendall Cedric Gill (born May 25, 1968) is an American former professional basketball player who now works as a television basketball analyst. Early life Gill was born in Chicago and attended Rich Central High School in Olympia Fields, Illinoi ...
for 10th place on the Charlotte Hornets all-time scoring list with 4,160 points. In three back-to-back games played between the January 3 and 7, Walker scored 30, 33, and 31 points in victories over the
Orlando Magic The Orlando Magic are an American professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. The Magic compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The franchise was establ ...
, the
Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of t ...
, and the
New Orleans Pelicans The New Orleans Pelicans are an American professional basketball team based in New Orleans. The Pelicans compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division and play their hom ...
respectively; he thereby joined Larry Johnson,
Glen Rice Glen Anthony Rice Sr. (born May 28, 1967) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). As a small forward, Rice was a three-time NBA All-Star and made 1,559 three-point field goal ...
, and
Kelly Tripucka Peter Kelly Tripucka (born February 16, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1981 to 1991. He was a two-time NBA All Star and averaged over twenty points a game ...
as one of four players in Charlotte Hornets' franchise history to have three or more consecutive games of scoring 30-plus points. Walker also hit his fifth game-winner of his career and his third of the season on January 7 in the 98–94 victory over the Pelicans. On January 12, he was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played Monday, January 5, through Sunday, January 11. Over the week, he led the Hornets to a 4–0 record and averaged 30.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 36.2 minutes, while shooting .500 from the field (44–88), .364 from beyond the three-point line (8–22) and .893 from the free-throw line (25–28). On January 28, 2015, Walker was ruled out for six weeks after he underwent successful surgery to repair a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee. He returned to action on March 11, after missing 18 games, to score six points in 16 minutes off the bench as the Hornets lost to the Sacramento Kings 106–113.


2015–16 season: Breakthrough

On November 23, 2015, Walker scored a then season-high 39 points in a 127–122 overtime win over the Sacramento Kings. On January 18, 2016, Walker set a career-high and a franchise-record with 52 points in a 124–119 double overtime win over the Utah Jazz. He made 16-of-34 from the field, including 6-of-11 three-pointers, and was 14-of-15 from the free throw line, breaking the team mark of 48 points set by
Glen Rice Glen Anthony Rice Sr. (born May 28, 1967) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). As a small forward, Rice was a three-time NBA All-Star and made 1,559 three-point field goal ...
in March 1997. On March 9, in a win over the New Orleans Pelicans, Walker became just the third Hornets player to make 500 career three-pointers, joining
Dell Curry Wardell Stephen Curry (born June 25, 1964) is an American former professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1986 until 2002 and retired as the Charlotte Hornets' all-time leader in points (9,839) ...
(929) and
Glen Rice Glen Anthony Rice Sr. (born May 28, 1967) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). As a small forward, Rice was a three-time NBA All-Star and made 1,559 three-point field goal ...
(508). Five days later, he earned his fourth career Player of the Week award, and second of the 2015–16 season (first coming on January 25), becoming just the sixth Charlotte player to win the award multiple times in the same season. The Hornets finished the regular season as the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference with a 48–34 record. In the first round of the playoffs, the Hornets faced the third-seeded Miami Heat, and in a Game 4 win on April 25, Walker scored a playoff career-high 34 points, helping the Hornets tie the series at 2–2. He topped that mark in Game 6 of the series, scoring 37 points in a 97–90 loss, as the Heat tied the series at 3–3. The Hornets went on to lose Game 7, bowing out of the playoffs with a 4–3 defeat. In May 2016, Walker again underwent surgery on a torn meniscus in his left knee.


2016–17 season: First All-Star selection

On November 4, 2016, Walker scored a season-high 30 points in a 99–95 win over the
Brooklyn Nets The Brooklyn Nets are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Nets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. The t ...
, helping Charlotte improve to 4–1 for the first time since 2000. He topped that mark on November 11, recording 40 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in a 113–111 loss to the
Toronto Raptors The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. They play their home games a ...
. On December 29, with 22 points against the
Miami Heat The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference Southeast Division (NBA), Southe ...
, Walker recorded his 7,000th point with the Charlotte franchise when he hit a three-pointer with 4:16 left in the first quarter. He became the fourth player in franchise history to reach that mark, and became the second-quickest by doing so in his 396th game— Larry Johnson passed the mark in his 355th career game with the Hornets. On January 2, 2017, Walker recorded 34 points and a season-high 11 rebounds in a 118–111 loss to the
Chicago Bulls The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded on January 1 ...
. On January 26, he was named an Eastern Conference All-Star reserve for the 2017 NBA All-Star Game. Two days later, in a loss to the
Sacramento Kings The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference Pacific Division. The Kings are the oldest ...
, Walker moved into third place in franchise history in field goals made (2,586), passing
Gerald Wallace Gerald Jermaine Wallace (born July 23, 1982) is an American former professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Crash", he was named an NBA All-Star and voted to the NBA All-Defensive First Team while with the Charlotte Bobcats in 2010. He played ...
. On January 31, he scored 22 points against the
Portland Trail Blazers The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Con ...
and moved into third place on the team's career scoring list. On March 6, he was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played Monday, February 27 through Sunday, March 5. On March 31, 2017, he scored a game-high 31 points in a 122–114 win over the
Denver Nuggets The Denver Nuggets are an American professional basketball team based in Denver. The Nuggets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. The team was founded as the D ...
. During the game, Walker became the second player in team history to reach 8,000 career points—the only other player to reach that mark is
Dell Curry Wardell Stephen Curry (born June 25, 1964) is an American former professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1986 until 2002 and retired as the Charlotte Hornets' all-time leader in points (9,839) ...
(9,839). In May 2017, Walker underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee.


2017–18 season: 2nd Sportsmanship Award

On December 4, Walker scored 29 points and made all 14 free throw attempts (tying a career-high) in a 104–94 win over the
Orlando Magic The Orlando Magic are an American professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. The Magic compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The franchise was establ ...
, becoming the first player in franchise history with 200 career 20-point games. On January 10, 2018, he had 41 points on 16-of-28 shooting in a 115–111 loss to the
Dallas Mavericks The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference (NBA), Western Conferenc ...
. On January 15, he scored 20 points in a 118–107 win over the
Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division and play their home games at Li ...
, thus reaching 9,000 career points. On January 24, in a 101–96 loss to the
New Orleans Pelicans The New Orleans Pelicans are an American professional basketball team based in New Orleans. The Pelicans compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division and play their hom ...
, Walker became only the second Hornets' player with 900 career 3-pointers, joining
Dell Curry Wardell Stephen Curry (born June 25, 1964) is an American former professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1986 until 2002 and retired as the Charlotte Hornets' all-time leader in points (9,839) ...
(929). On January 31, he set franchise and career-highs with nine 3-pointers and scored 38 points in a 123–110 win over the
Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference Southeast Division (NBA), Sou ...
. On February 4, in a 115–110 win over the
Phoenix Suns The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Suns are the only team in t ...
, Walker scored 18 points and broke the franchise career record for 3-pointers with 930, surpassing the record of 929 held by Dell Curry. On February 8, Walker was named as the replacement for the injured
Kristaps Porziņģis Kristaps Porziņģis (; born 2 August 1995) is a Latvian professional basketball player for the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is one of the tallest active players in the NBA, standing at tall, and plays bo ...
in the 2018 NBA All-Star Game, marking his second consecutive All-Star selection. On March 22, Walker scored 46 points with 10 3-pointers in a 140–79 win over the
Memphis Grizzlies The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference ...
. It was his ninth 40-point game of his career and third-highest scoring game of his career, as he helped the Hornets record the sixth-largest win in NBA history. On March 28, he scored 21 points in a 118–105 loss to the
Cleveland Cavaliers The Cleveland Cavaliers (often referred to as the Cavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
, surpassing Dell Curry (9,839 points) to become the franchise's career scoring leader. Walker also established a new team record with his 44th consecutive made free throw. That free throw also brought his career total to 1,999, which broke
Gerald Wallace Gerald Jermaine Wallace (born July 23, 1982) is an American former professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Crash", he was named an NBA All-Star and voted to the NBA All-Defensive First Team while with the Charlotte Bobcats in 2010. He played ...
's franchise record of 1,998.


2018–19 season: All-NBA selection

On October 17, 2018, Walker scored 41 points in a 113–112 loss to the
Milwaukee Bucks The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded in 1968 ...
, setting a franchise record for points scored in a season opener. It was his 10th 40-point game of his career, tying
Glen Rice Glen Anthony Rice Sr. (born May 28, 1967) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). As a small forward, Rice was a three-time NBA All-Star and made 1,559 three-point field goal ...
for the franchise record for 40-point games. Three days later, he scored 39 points, including the game-winning free throw with a half-second left, to lift the Hornets to a 113–112 win over the
Miami Heat The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference Southeast Division (NBA), Southe ...
. During the game, he eclipsed the career 10,000-point mark. Walker set the NBA record for most three-point field goals through the first three games of a season with 19 (previously held by Danilo Gallinari with 18 in 2009–10) and became the first player in NBA history to make five or more three-point field goals in each of the first three games of a season. He was subsequently named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the first week of the season. On November 17, he scored a career-high and franchise-best 60 points in a 122–119 overtime loss to the
Philadelphia 76ers The Philadelphia 76ers, colloquially known as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eas ...
. On December 5 against the
Minnesota Timberwolves The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. Founded in 19 ...
, Walker made his 502nd career start for Charlotte, the most of any player in team history, passing
Muggsy Bogues Tyrone Curtis "Muggsy" Bogues (born January 9, 1965) is a former American basketball player. The shortest player ever to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Bogues played point guard for four teams during his 14-season caree ...
(501). On January 24, Walker was named a starter for the Eastern Conference in the 2019 NBA All-Star Game, joining Glen Rice as the only players to represent Charlotte in three All-Star Games. Walker also became the third Hornets player to start an All-Star Game, along with Larry Johnson (1993) and Eddie Jones (2000). On February 6, he had 30 points and a season-high 11 rebounds in a 99–93 loss to the
Dallas Mavericks The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference (NBA), Western Conferenc ...
. On February 9, he hit a season-high nine 3-pointers and scored 37 points in a 129–120 win over the Atlanta Hawks. With 32 points, seven assists and three rebounds against the
New Orleans Pelicans The New Orleans Pelicans are an American professional basketball team based in New Orleans. The Pelicans compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division and play their hom ...
on April 3, Walker recorded his 26th 30-point game of the season, passing Glen Rice for the franchise record for 30-point games in a season. He also set the franchise record for 3-pointers made in a season when he made his 244th 3-pointer against New Orleans. On April 5, he scored 29 points in a 113–111 win over the
Toronto Raptors The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. They play their home games a ...
, thus joining Glen Rice as the only players in franchise history to score 2,000 points in a season—Rice scored 2,115 points in the 1996–97 season. With his 250th made 3-pointer on April 7 against the
Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division and play their home games at Li ...
, Walker became only the ninth different player in NBA history to connect on 250+ 3-pointers in a season. He was subsequently named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played April 1–7, marking his seventh career player of the week award. Following the season, he was named to the
All-NBA Third Team The All-NBA Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) honor bestowed on the best players in the league following every NBA season. The voting is conducted by a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. The team has been sele ...
, his first all-league selection.


Boston Celtics (2019–2021)

Coming off a frustrating 2018–19 season, the
Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of t ...
would go on to lose franchise centerpieces
Kyrie Irving Kyrie Andrew Irving (; lkt, Ȟéla, italic=no, ; born March 23, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was named the Rookie of the Year after being selected b ...
and
Al Horford Alfred Joel Horford Reynoso (born June 3, 1986) is a Dominican professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "Big Al", Horford is a five-time NBA All-Star and is the highest paid L ...
to free agency, opening the door to start a new chapter with a new max-salary player. After Walker and the Celtics showed mutual interest at the start of free agency, he officially joined the franchise on July 6, 2019, through a
sign and trade In the National Basketball Association (NBA), a sign-and-trade deal is a type of transaction allowed by the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) where one franchise/team signs an unrestricted free agent or restricted free agent player to a new co ...
deal with
Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Meckl ...
worth $141 million over four years. Walker chose to wear number 8 with the Celtics as his usual number 15 had been retired by the Celtics in honor of
Tom Heinsohn Thomas William Heinsohn (August 26, 1934 – November 9, 2020) was an American professional basketball player. He was associated with the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) for six decades as a player, coach and broadcast ...
. Walker made his Celtics debut on October 23, 2019, against the
Philadelphia 76ers The Philadelphia 76ers, colloquially known as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eas ...
; he put up 12 points on 18 shot attempts from the field in 34 minutes of play during the 107–93 loss. On November 27, Walker scored a then season-high 39 points in a 121–110 win over the
Brooklyn Nets The Brooklyn Nets are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Nets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. The t ...
. That season-high would be eclipsed on December 11, when Walker scored 44 points in 122–117 loss to the
Indiana Pacers The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The Pacers were first esta ...
. On January 16, 2020, Walker would post a 40-point, 11 assist
double-double In basketball, a double-double is a single-game performance in which a player accumulates ten or more in two of the following five statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots. The first "double" in the term ...
in a 128–123 loss to the
Milwaukee Bucks The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded in 1968 ...
. On January 20, Walker recorded his first head-to-head win against
LeBron James LeBron Raymone James Sr. (; born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "King James", he is widely considered one of the greatest pl ...
, after having begun his career 0–28 against him. Posting 20 points, seven assists, four rebounds, and a steal, he helped the Celtics come away with a 139–107 blowout victory over longtime
rivals A rivalry is the state of two people or groups engaging in a lasting competitive relationship. Rivalry is the "against each other" spirit between two competing sides. The relationship itself may also be called "a rivalry", and each participant o ...
the Lakers. Three days later, Walker was named to his fourth consecutive
All-Star Game An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or div ...
, being selected as an Eastern Conference starter. The 2019–2020 season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After the season resumed, Walker helped the Celtics reach the Eastern Conference Finals, where the team was defeated by the
Miami Heat The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference Southeast Division (NBA), Southe ...
. Walker missed several games during the season due to knee soreness. In December 2020, the Celtics confirmed that Walker had received a stem cell injection in his left knee in October and had been placed on 12 week strengthening program, sidelining him for the start of the 2020–21 NBA season. Walker made his season debut on January 17, 2021. In the 2021 playoffs, Walker missed games four and five of Boston's first-round playoff series against the
Brooklyn Nets The Brooklyn Nets are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Nets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. The t ...
due to a bone bruise in his left knee. The Celtics lost the series in five games.


New York Knicks (2021–2022)

On June 18, 2021, Walker was traded to the
Oklahoma City Thunder The Oklahoma City Thunder are an American professional basketball team based in Oklahoma City. The Thunder compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. The team plays i ...
, along with a 2021 first-round draft pick (16th selection), and a 2025 second round draft pick from the
Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of t ...
in exchange for
Al Horford Alfred Joel Horford Reynoso (born June 3, 1986) is a Dominican professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "Big Al", Horford is a five-time NBA All-Star and is the highest paid L ...
,
Moses Brown Moses Brown (September 23, 1738 – September 6, 1836) was an American abolitionist and industrialist from New England, who funded the design and construction of some of the first factory houses for spinning machines during the American industr ...
, and a 2023 second-round draft pick. Walker reached a contract buyout agreement with the Thunder on August 6, 2021. On August 11, he signed with the
New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...
. On October 20, Walker made his Knicks debut, recording 10 points and eight assists in a 138–134 double overtime victory over the Boston Celtics. On November 29, 2021, Walker was removed from the Knicks' rotation in favor of
Alec Burks Alec Burks (born July 20, 1991) is an American professional basketball player for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected by the Utah Jazz as the 12th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft. Burks primarily ...
. He sat for 10 games before re-entering the rotation on December 18 after guard
Derrick Rose Derrick Martell Rose (born October 4, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played one year of college basketball for the Memphis Tigers before being drafted ...
was injured. On December 25, in the Knicks' 101–87 win against the Atlanta Hawks, Walker recorded a triple-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists and became the seventh player in NBA history to record a triple-double in NBA's Christmas game. Walker missed games in January 2022 due to knee problems. In February 2022, the Knicks and Walker reached an agreement that he would be sidelined for the remainder of the season.


Dallas Mavericks (2022–present)

On July 6, 2022, Walker and the draft rights to
Jalen Duren Jalen Montez Duren (born November 18, 2003) is an American professional basketball player for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Memphis Tigers. A center, he stands and weighs ...
were traded to the
Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division and play their home games at Li ...
in exchange for a future first-round selection. On October 17, Walker was waived by the Pistons. On November 28, 2022, Walker signed with the
Dallas Mavericks The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference (NBA), Western Conferenc ...
, on a one-year, non-guaranteed deal. On December 17, Walker put up 32 points, five rebounds, and seven assists in a 100–99 overtime loss to the
Cleveland Cavaliers The Cleveland Cavaliers (often referred to as the Cavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
.


Career statistics


NBA


Regular season

, - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",
Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Meckl ...
, style="background:#cfecec;", 66* , , 25 , , 27.2 , , .366 , , .305 , , .789 , , 3.5 , , 4.4 , , .9 , , .3 , , 12.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",
Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Meckl ...
, style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , 34.9 , , .423 , , .322 , , .798 , , 3.5 , , 5.7 , , 2.0 , , .4 , , 17.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",
Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Meckl ...
, 73 , , 73 , , 35.8 , , .393 , , .333 , , .837 , , 4.2 , , 6.1 , , 1.2 , , .4 , , 17.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",
Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Meckl ...
, 62 , , 58 , , 34.2 , , .385 , , .304 , , .827 , , 3.5 , , 5.1 , , 1.4 , , .5 , , 17.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",
Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Meckl ...
, 81 , , 81 , , 35.6 , , .427 , , .371 , , .847 , , 4.4 , , 5.2 , , 1.6 , , .5 , , 20.9 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",
Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Meckl ...
, 79 , , 79 , , 34.7 , , .443 , , .399 , , .847 , , 3.9 , , 5.5 , , 1.1 , , .3 , , 23.2 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",
Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Meckl ...
, 80 , , 80 , , 34.2 , , .431 , , .384 , , .864 , , 3.1 , , 5.6 , , 1.1 , , .3 , , 22.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",
Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Meckl ...
, style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , 34.9 , , .434 , , .356 , , .844 , , 4.4 , , 5.9 , , 1.2 , , .4 , , 25.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",
Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, 56 , , 56 , , 31.1 , , .425 , , .381 , , .864 , , 3.9 , , 4.8 , , .9 , , .5 , , 20.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",
Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, 43 , , 43 , , 31.8 , , .420 , , .360 , , .899 , , 4.0 , , 4.9 , , 1.1 , , .3 , , 19.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
, 37 , , 37 , , 25.6 , , .403 , , .367 , , .845 , , 3.0 , , 3.5 , , .7 , , .2 , , 11.6 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 741 , , 696 , , 33.3 , , .418 , , .360 , , .840 , , 3.8 , , 5.3 , , 1.2 , , .4 , , 19.5 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", All-Star , 4 , , 2 , , 21.0 , , .452 , , .280 , , , , 2.3 , , 4.5 , , .8 , , .0 , , 11.3


Playoffs

, - , style="text-align:left;",
2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Meckl ...
, 4 , , 4 , , 38.3 , , .473 , , .500 , , .778 , , 3.8 , , 6.0 , , 2.0 , , .8 , , 19.5 , - , style="text-align:left;",
2016 File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Meckl ...
, 7 , , 7 , , 37.1 , , .366 , , .326 , , .943 , , 3.0 , , 4.0 , , 1.3 , , .6 , , 22.7 , - , style="text-align:left;",
2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, 17 , , 17 , , 36.9 , , .441 , , .310 , , .852 , , 4.1 , , 5.1 , , .9 , , .4 , , 19.6 , - , style="text-align:left;",
2021 File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, 3 , , 3 , , 30.3 , , .317 , , .176 , , .900 , , 4.0 , , 4.0 , , .3 , , .0 , , 12.7 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 31 , , 31 , , 36.5 , , .412 , , .324 , , .868 , , 3.8 , , 4.8 , , 1.1 , , .5 , , 19.6


College

, - , style="text-align:left;", 2008–09 , style="text-align:left;",
Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
, 36 , , 2 , , 25.2 , , .470 , , .271 , , .715 , , 3.5 , , 2.9 , , 1.1 , , .2 , , 8.9 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2009–10 , style="text-align:left;",
Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
, 34 , , 34 , , 35.2 , , .405 , , .339 , , .767 , , 4.3 , , 5.0 , , 2.0 , , .4 , , 14.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2010–11 , style="text-align:left;",
Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
, 41 , , 41 , , 37.6 , , .428 , , .330 , , .819 , , 5.4 , , 4.5 , , 1.9 , , .2 , , 23.5 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 111 , , 77 , , 32.8 , , .428 , , .325 , , .782 , , 4.3 , , 4.4 , , 1.7 , , .2 , , 16.1


Awards and honors

;NBA * 4×
NBA All-Star The National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star Game is an annual exhibition basketball game. It is the main event of the NBA All-Star Weekend. Originally, the All-Star Game featured a conference-based format, featuring a team composed of al ...
(, , , ) *
All-NBA Third Team The All-NBA Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) honor bestowed on the best players in the league following every NBA season. The voting is conducted by a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. The team has been sele ...
() * 2×
NBA Sportsmanship Award The NBA Sportsmanship Award is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given to a player who most "exemplifies the ideals of sportsmanship on the court with ethical behavior, fair play, and integrity." It is directly analogous to the ...
(, ) ;College *
NCAA champion The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
(
2011 File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
) *
Bob Cousy Award The Bob Cousy Award presented by The College of the Holy Cross (or Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year Award) is an annual basketball award given by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to the top men's collegiate point guard. ...
(2011) *
Lute Olson Award The Lute Olson Award is an award given annually to the most outstanding men's college basketball player in NCAA Division I competition. The award was established in 2010 and is named for former Arizona Wildcats head coach Lute Olson Robert Lut ...
(2011) *
NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player At the conclusion of the NCAA men's and women's Division I basketball championships (the "Final Four" tournaments), a media panel selects a Most Outstanding Player (MOP). It is usually awarded to a member of the championship team. There have been ...
(
2011 File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
) * Consensus first team All-American (
2011 File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
) * Big East tournament MVP (
2011 File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
) *
NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athlete, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic sports, ...
(2011) * Maui Invitational tournament MVP (2011) * All-
Big East The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletic conference that competes in NCAA Division I in ten men's sports and twelve women's sports. Headquartered in New York City, the eleven full-member schools are primarily located in Northeast and ...
First Team (2011) * All-Big East Third Team (2010) * All-Big East All-Rookie Team (2009)


Personal life

Walker is the son of Paul and Andrea Walker. His parents met in his father's native
Antigua Antigua ( ), also known as Waladli or Wadadli by the native population, is an island in the Lesser Antilles. It is one of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region and the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua and Bar ...
, while his mother is originally from St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands and was raised in the Bronx. He has two brothers, Akil and Keya, and two sisters named Sharifa and Kayla. Walker grew up in the Sack-Wern Houses in
Soundview, Bronx Soundview is a neighborhood on the Clason Point peninsula, on the southern section of the borough of the Bronx in New York City. Its boundaries, starting from the north and moving clockwise, are the Cross-Bronx Expressway to the north, White Pla ...
. Walker is also a dancer. He performed three times at the
Apollo Theater The Apollo Theater is a music hall at 253 West 125th Street between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard (Seventh Avenue) and Frederick Douglass Boulevard (Eighth Avenue) in the Harlem neighborhood of Upper Manhattan in New York City. It is a not ...
for the TV show ''
Showtime at the Apollo ''Showtime at the Apollo'' (formerly ''It's Showtime at the Apollo'' and ''Apollo Live'') is an American variety show that first aired in syndication from September 12, 1987 to May 24, 2008. In 2018, the series returned on Fox with Steve Harvey h ...
''. On June 21, 2011, Walker released a mixtape in collaboration with
DJ Skee Scott Keeney (born 15 November 1983), better known by his stage name DJ Skee, is an American artist, television host, radio personality, and entrepreneur. Skee rose to fame as the first DJ to discover and play superstar artists on the radio incl ...
and Skee Sports. The mixtape features songs inspired by and inspiring to Walker. In 2011, Walker signed a multi-year sponsorship deal with
Under Armour Under Armour, Inc. is an American sports equipment company that manufactures footwear, sports and casual apparel. Under Armour's global headquarters are located in Baltimore, Maryland, with additional offices located in Amsterdam (European hea ...
. In 2015, Walker's contract with Under Armour expired. He subsequently signed with
Jordan Brand Air Jordan is an American brand of basketball shoes produced by American corporation Nike. The first Air Jordan shoe was produced for Hall of Fame former basketball player Michael Jordan during his time with the Chicago Bulls in late 1984 and ...
, a subsidiary of
Nike Nike often refers to: * Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory * Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment Nike may also refer to: People * Nike (name), a surname and feminine give ...
.


See also

*
List of National Basketball Association franchise career scoring leaders The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional men's basketball league, consisting of 30 teams in North America (29 in the United States and one in Canada). The NBA was founded in New York City on June 6, 1946, as the Basketball Assoc ...
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List of National Basketball Association single-game scoring leaders This is a complete listing of National Basketball Association players who have scored 60 or more points in a game. This feat has been accomplished 80 times in NBA history. Thirty-two players have scored 60 or more points in a game, while just six ...


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UConn Huskies bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Walker, Kemba 1990 births Living people 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup players All-American college men's basketball players American men's basketball players American people of Antigua and Barbuda descent American people of United States Virgin Islands descent Basketball players from New York City Boston Celtics players Charlotte Bobcats draft picks Charlotte Bobcats players Charlotte Hornets players Dallas Mavericks players McDonald's High School All-Americans National Basketball Association All-Stars New York Knicks players Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball) Point guards Sportspeople from the Bronx UConn Huskies men's basketball players United States men's national basketball team players