BY ONIN MIGUEL DEVELOS
FOUR-TIME NBA all-star Kemba Walker announced his retirement from basketball on Wednesday morning, July 3.
The 34-year-old played his final NBA season with the Dallas Mavericks and last played for AS Monaco in the Eurolegue wherein he averaged 4.4 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game.
Kemba built his reputation as a professional scorer who could get hot quickly. He played a key role in the University of Connecticut Huskies’ championship run, being named the most outstanding player after winning five games in five days.
Walker was drafted 9th overall by the then-Charlotte Bobcats in the 2011 draft. During his stint in Charlotte, he led the team to two playoff appearances and became the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, 3-pointers, win-shares, and minutes played.
He was a four-time consecutive all-star from 2016 to 2020 with his best season coming in 2018-2019 where he averaged a career-high of 25.6 points per game and was named All NBA third team.
Kemba started having knee injuries and missed significant time which held him back from reclaiming his all-star-level self. He was then traded and released by multiple teams and last played nine games with the Dallas Mavericks before getting released in 2023.
In an Instagram post, Walker thanked the basketball community for supporting him throughout his career.
“Basketball has done more for me than I could’ve ever imagined, and I am super thankful for the amazing journey I’ve had. With that, I’m here to share that I am officially retiring from the game of basketball.
“This has been a dream. When I look back, I still can’t believe the things I achieved in my career.”
Kemba Walker ends his basketball career averaging 19.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 5.3 assists while shooting 36% from the 3-point line. He ends his career as one of the all-time best Charlotte players in NBA history.
