Kemba Walker has announced his retirement from professional basketball and is now joining the Charlotte Hornets‘ coaching staff for the 2024-25 season.
New Role with the Hornets:
Kemba Walker, a former All-Star, will be a player enhancement coach for the Hornets. This role suits him well since he earned three of his All-Star selections during his eight years with Charlotte. He also holds the franchise record for most points scored, totaling 12,009.
Career Highlights:
Walker played not only for Charlotte but also for the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, and Dallas Mavericks. Last year, he tried European basketball by signing with AS Monaco in France.
Kemba Walker is joining the Hornets staff for the 2024-2025 season, per @ShamsCharania
All is right in the world.
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops)
“This has all been a dream,” Walker shared on social media. “When I look back, I still can’t believe the things I achieved in my career.” He expressed gratitude to those who supported him: “I know I couldn’t have made it to this point without my incredible support system around me.”
Fans are really excited about Kemba’s new journey.
He thanked many people including his family and coaches: “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,” he wrote. “Basketball will forever be a part of my life so this isn’t goodbye. I’m excited for what’s next.”
Injuries Impacting Career:
Walker’s career was unfortunately affected by injuries in recent years. Two seasons ago with the Knicks, he played only 37 games due to these issues. Later on November 2022, he signed with Dallas Mavericks but was waived after just nine games.
Tributes from NBA Stars:
Many NBA stars paid tribute to Kemba after his retirement announcement. His influence began early when he won an NCAA National Championship with UConn Huskies.
Jim Calhoun praised him saying: “With no question, one of the greatest players I’ve ever coached.” Calhoun highlighted not just his skills but also his character: “But you combine that with having a great family and being one of the nicest people and teammates a basketball team could ever have.”
Cody Zeller from New Orleans Pelicans shared heartfelt words too: “[I] made a whole career out of setting screens for you… letting you do the rest,” Zeller said warmly.
Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown along with coach Joe Mazzulla also congratulated Kemba. Tatum expressed admiration saying: “It was an honor and a privilege to be your teammate.” He recalled watching Kemba play during NCAA tournaments as well as in NBA games growing up.
This marks an exciting new chapter for Kemba Walker!
