For those who missed it, Kemba Walker signed a contract with Monaco in the summer and never got another chance in the NBA. The player’s problems began in 2019, when Michael Jordan refused to give Kemba a supermax contract, which is why the point guard moved to the Boston Celtics. “Charlotte” has never in its history come close to the status of a title contender, so Walker had the opportunity to prove himself in a much better team with the greatest ambitions.
Walker did well in his first season with the Celts. Due to the young ages of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, Kemba temporarily assumed the leadership role and continued to play at a star level. Then the pandemic arrived, in the “bubble” Boston reached the conference finals, where they lost sensationally to the Miami Heat.
The future looked pretty good for Kemba, but then came the next season. Looking back, that period can be considered a turning point in the player’s entire career. According to the numbers, everything was going well, he also continued to score about 20 points per game, but he began to have systematic problems with his knees. Walker had some health problems early in his career, but at his best the player was consistent and willing to play in every game. From 2015 to 2019 he played at least 79 of 82 regular season games, but in the 2020-2021 season he only managed to appear in 43 games.
Walker also missed key playoff games, when the Celtics lost to Brooklyn in the first round. It was Kemba who became the scapegoat, for which he was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the summer of 2021, after which he was released. A player who only a year ago participated in the All-Star Game now finds himself in a completely different situation.
Jayson Tatum and Kemba Walker
Photo: Maddie Malhotra/Getty Images
After being released, he signed a contract with the New York Knicks, returning to his hometown. A player who had just received more than 30 million dollars a year began to earn less than 10 million dollars, but the main problem was not even the money, but the fact that already in November Tom Thibodeau decided to transfer Walker to deep reserve, as it did not fit the criteria of his training style. Kemba then had opportunities for him, but he was extremely ineffective and looked like a completely different player even compared to the previous season.
In the summer there was another trade, then another contract termination and continued health problems. No one wanted to sign him before the start of the season, only Dallas gave him a chance later. The experiment lasted just over a month and in January Walker was expelled again.
Thus, in just a couple of years, the basketball star became someone that no one needed in the league, although by NBA standards, Kemba cannot even now be called “old.” In May of this year he turned 33 years old. The cause of this disaster was countless injuries and damage. Walker is a fairly diminutive player (184 cm and 84 kg) who took several years to adapt his game to the NBA. As a result, he managed to become a great player, but his body could not withstand such stress for long.
Kemba Walker
Photo: LightRocket via Getty Images
Many, having gone through this, would have given up and ended their career. Walker managed to earn around $200 million during his career and he certainly didn’t need the money. But his love for basketball is undeniable. Therefore, in the summer he decided to try himself in Europe, specifically in Monaco. Moving to the Old World is an atypical decision for former American NBA stars; Normally athletes, if they decide to continue playing, do so in places where they pay more money and where the level of competition is much lower.
Besides the fact that European basketball itself is quite intense and challenging, Walker found himself in Monaco, one of the best clubs in Europe with an excellent roster and great depth on the defensive line. All the Monegasque guards have experience in the NBA: Mike James, Elie Okobo and Jordan Loyd. The 33-year-old point guard’s direct competitor is Mike, one of the best basketball players in the entire Euroleague.
The situation was further complicated by the fact that Kemba did not have time to recover at the beginning of the season and was not able to debut until mid-October. Walker decided not to enter the French championship due to internal restrictions, so the hero of our article has the opportunity to prove himself only in the Euroleague.
And how are you doing in the main European tournament? Not good. In 11 games, Kemba averages 3.5 points playing about 10 minutes on the court. Walker had his best game in the recent game against Panathinaikos, scoring 13 points.
At first glance, it seems that Kemba is failing and is no longer at the level of even European basketball. However, Walker manages to positively influence the team in other ways, so both the coach and the player’s teammates are happy with his presence.
Kemba has always distinguished himself by not being selfish. He is not aggressive, he is altruistic and always does everything for the good of the team. Despite the poor start and the little playing time provided, Walker does not complain and continues to work hard, setting an example for all other basketball players, especially the young ones. The effect of having an experienced point guard in the locker room is extremely positive. How can other players complain about something if next to them is a former NBA star who in no way expresses her discontent, even though she only performs once a week for 10 minutes?
Walker is an extremely positive guy and inspires everyone else with his spirit. During games, he especially rejoices at the successes of his teammates, sits on the bench, worries about the team’s success and praises his teammates for successful actions. Kemba is humble and hardworking. According to her teammates, she always arrives early to practice and then encourages the young people to stay longer in the gym to practice their throws more. This type of behavior motivates everyone around you to work even harder. Precisely because of these properties of the hero of our article, Monaco does not even think about parting with the player.
Kemba Walker with his Monaco teammates
Photo: Euroleague basketball via Getty Images
The management and coaching staff of the Monegasques view Kemba’s future at the club with optimism. Despite the high salary of a bench player (more than a million euros a year), everyone understands that Walker needs time to adapt to the game, taking into account the time he missed due to health problems. Monaco will easily qualify for the Euroleague playoffs, there is no need to rush. The 33-year-old point guard has time to prepare for the spring to be able to help his teammates in decisive games not only mentally, but also in the game aspect. And, of course, we will be attentive to this.
Watch Euroleague basketball exclusively on Okko.
THE NAIS IS OFFICIAL EDITOR ON NAIS NEWS