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Will Kemba Walker Finish as the Greatest Player in Charlotte Hornets’ History?

By Elijah Edwards

February 28, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker (15) moves the ball up court against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
February 28, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker (15) moves the ball up court against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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While the Charlotte Hornets haven’t been around as long as most teams, they’ve had their fair share of household names and fan favorites. Can Kemba rise above them all to become the best player the team has ever had?

The Charlotte Hornets are nearly three decades old now. In that relatively brief timespan, we’ve seen a lot of players come and go. Some have had success, while others haven’t. Longtime fans obviously will tell you their favorites from over the years. Names such as Dell Curry, Alonzo Mourning, Larry Johnson, Muggsy Bogues, Glen Rice, or even Kelly Tripucka might come out of their mouths when discussing past stars.

A “new” name is steadily gaining ground on those past greats, however, and that name is Kemba Walker. While he’s been in the league for some time and has made his mark in the city of Charlotte, Kemba may be the NBA’s best-kept secret.

Part of that is due to Charlotte being a relatively small market in terms of sports, but another reason is that Kemba doesn’t draw a lot of attention to himself. He’s a fiery competitor on the court, but outside of that, you don’t hear much about him. He doesn’t tweet much, he’s not in shoe ads, and he’s not on very many sports talk shows.

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Despite this, he’s definitely number one in many Hornets fans’ hearts. When you think about it, Kemba also represents Charlotte in ways outside of basketball. Despite being an All-Star and the bonafide team leader, talking heads in the media rarely give him a mention.

This is somewhat fitting since Charlotte itself rarely gets a mention, at least in terms of the sporting world. Die-hard Hornets fans know of the disgust that comes when seeing the team still referred to as the Bobcats.

Despite the lack of notoriety, there’s still no doubting his place in Hornets history. Not only is he second all-time in points for the Hornets, but he’s in the top five in a lot of other categories. He’ll most likely be the all-time leader in most categories when all is said and done.

Numbers alone won’t be enough to become the “greatest Hornet ever.” The team will need consistent postseason success for that to happen. Kemba is young, however, and despite their losing record this year, the Hornets have potential.

Next: Early Look at Draft Prospects

Kemba has earned his place in the pantheon of Hornets greats and at some point, he may be the greatest. He may not be flashy or stylish, but Hornets fans know that with Kemba, they have a chance.

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