CHARLOTTE, N.C. --- Believe it or not, there was a moment this NBA season where Kemba Walker did not want the ball.
It happened on March 26, with about two minutes to play in an overtime contest against the San Antonio Spurs. Marvin Williams had just hauled in a defensive rebound and the Charlotte Hornets led by four points. Walker had to tie his shoe, so the outlet pass went to Dwayne Bacon, a 23-year-old second-year guard.
Bacon waited. Walker eventually caught up and jogged to the other side of the court and then bent over and put his hands on his knees. Bacon looked at Walker. He wanted to give him the ball. This was overtime of course, in a must-win game as the Hornets playoff lives were on the line. Walker shook his head, then nodded. The team captain was giving the youngster the green light. Bacon pulled up from 26-feet out.
Swish.
“I did not want that basketball. I was just too tired at the time… (Bacon) made a huge three,” Walker said after the 125-116 win. “I’m super happy for him. He deserves it. He never complains. When he’s not playing, he’s on the sideline cheering for his teammates. The next day he’s here, getting his work in. It’s paying off for him.”
That win was the fourth straight for the Hornets and their first in overtime this season. While Bacon made a big play to put the game on ice, Walker – as usual – carried the load. In nearly 42 minutes of play, the UConn product tallied 38 points, 11 assists, nine rebounds and a block.
While the stat sheet is another example of the incredible season Walker is having, the moment where he allowed Bacon to take a big shot showed his growth as a leader.
At 28 years old and in his eighth season, not only is Walker one of the most talented guards in the league, but he’s the heart, soul and commander on this Hornets team stocked with young players. He’s been asked to wear a lot of hats – top scorer, best passer, grizzled veteran and advice giver – for a Hornets team that is in transition while also trying to make the playoffs.
And all of this is happening for Walker with free agency looming. Should Walker get voted to an All-NBA team this season – which seems likely – he’ll be eligible for a supermax contract. The Hornets would be able to pay him up to $221 million over the span of five seasons. No team would be able to offer him more money.
After the Spurs game, a reporter posed a question about Walker to Rudy Gay, who comes off the bench for San Antonio.
“Kemba’s about to get paid, isn’t he?” the reporter asked.
“I hope so. Look at him, look at his stature,” said Gay, a fellow former Husky. “He’s a small guy, but he still manages to be dominant in this league. I’m just happy I got a chance to see him from the beginning.”
But Walker’s mind doesn’t seem to be on the money right now. He has embraced his dual role for Charlotte as the leading man and the one to help bring the youngsters along.
“It’s fun to be a part of, watching these guys grow up right in front of our eyes,” Walker said. “We expect a lot of these guys and they’re playing their butts off right now.
“It sounds crazy to say, but I’m a veteran now. I can’t even believe it. I’m trying to be the best vet for those guys. I hang out with those guys a lot. We’re definitely becoming closer each and every day. I think it’s translating on the court.”
The Hornets are 38-42, currently sitting in 9th place, trying to grab the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
During a stretch from Jan. 20 to March 19 where they went 9-16, the minutes of veteran players like Tony Parker started to take a dip. Many times, Parker – a six-time All-Star and four-time Finals champ – didn’t play at all. Rookie head coach James Borrego figured that if the Hornets were going to lose, they might as well do it with Walker and a stable of young players.
Except Walker and the Hornets never quit. Whatever the opposite of tanking is, they did that. And Walker’s trust in his younger teammates is a big reason why they’re still in the hunt for a playoff spot.
“It’s not only (Walker’s) will, but his confidence in the guys he’s playing with and the confidence in this team, that’s really elevating our play right now,” Borrego said. “He loves these young guys. He just enjoys being around them. He’s a kid at heart too. They spend a lot of time together off the court and that’s been reflected in our play as well. He believes in his teammates. There was immediate trust and the young guys have felt that and responded to it.”
For Jeremy Lamb, who’s been Walker’s on-and-off teammate since they shared a backcourt together at UConn in 2010, not much has changed.
Walker is still a tireless worker, the director of the squad and an unstoppable scorer.
“It’s really no different from college. He’s the leader of the team, just like at UConn,” Lamb said. “He continues to get better, continues to work on his game, never settles. It’s great to see his hard work pay off, and now he’s a three-time All-Star. Nobody would’ve ever guessed that he would be able to do that, at his size. It’s amazing. His heart is huge.
“He definitely took it to another level this year. His numbers show it.”
Walker is averaging career highs in points and rebounds per-game, and he’s close to his career-high in assists too. His three-point percentage dipped a bit, but he’s attempting 2.5 more deep shots per-game than he ever has before.
On the league leaderboards, Walker was the seventh top scorer, 20th in value over replacement player, 12th in offensive box plus-minus, sixth in field goals made, seventh in minutes played, fifth in three-pointers made and 13th in assists as of April 1.
Walker might not be having the most efficient season, but he’s still putting up All-Star caliber numbers and dragging this Hornets team to wins.
“I draw two defenders a lot, so, whenever I do, I try my best to get rid of the basketball and make the best pass that I can,” Walker said. “I’m just playing the game, really. I just want to win.”
There’s a chance this could be Walker’s last season in a Hornets uniform. Even if he’s eligible for the supermax, an opportunity to team up with another All-Star or two elsewhere could present itself and be enticing to Walker, who often puts winning above all else. Walker is having arguably the best season of his career, and the Hornets still might miss the postseason.
Walker grew up in the Bronx, and the Knicks have cap space this summer. Could Walker be the latest NBA star to join the hometown club? The Mavericks, Lakers and other teams could chase Walker too.
A case could be made that Walker is the Hornets best player, ever. He’s right up there with Larry Johnson, Alonzo Mourning, Muggsy Bogues and Glen Rice. And the fans love him. Even when he missed a crunch time free throw against the Spurs – down a point with three minutes to play – they cheered. They get even louder when he goes to the rim for an acrobatic lay-up or when he connects from behind the arc using his trademark step-back.
While Walker has made three All-Star teams and enjoyed being beloved in Charlotte, the Hornets have failed to surround him with talent. Only twice during his tenure have they made the playoffs. His most talented teammates may have been Nic Batum in 2016 and Al Jefferson in 2014. Borrego is Walker’s fourth head coach in eight seasons.
The question for Walker is this: Does he want to team-up with other All-Stars elsewhere for the possibility of deep playoff runs, or does he want to secure the biggest bag, hear his name chanted by fans clad in purple and teal, and help Borrego and Mitch Kupchak build something potentially special in Charlotte? What wins out, his loyalty or his thirst for postseason victories?
If the indicators are how he’s played this season, and how he’s acted in the locker room, and how he’s bought into the youth movement, Walker might be leaning towards staying in Charlotte.
“He just believes in us,” Bacon said. “Especially now.”
On June 21, 2018, Miles Bridges was selected with the 12th pick by the Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA Draft. Soon after, he was traded to Charlotte.
Going to a team with an established star like Walker, Bridges was a bit nervous.
“You would think, going to the NBA, that the best player on the team would be like – I don’t know – kind of stand-offish,” Bridges said.
But two days after the Hornets traded for him, Bridges was sitting in Walker’s house. The star opened up his home for the new kid, welcoming Bridges to his team with open arms.
“That’s when I found out he was a good dude. It’s been like that since I’ve been here. I’m just happy to be his teammate,” Bridges said. “Kemba is a great leader. He’s one of the coolest guys to be around.”
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