Charlotte Hornets: What Kemba Walker means to the Queen City

The Charlotte Hornets haven’t had many bonafide stars over the years. However, they do have a hidden gem in point guard Kemba Walker. Just how important is he to this team, its fans, and the city itself?

Over the past few weeks, Charlotte Hornets fans have shown their support for All-Star point guard, Kemba Walker. With the Twitter hashtag #KeepKemba still going, it’s easy to see that the fans want him here and why not? He’s the heart and soul of this team, time and again putting them on his back. Kemba himself has even voiced his desire to stay in Charlotte, which I think is admirable. A lot of athletes would jump at the chance to move up to a bigger market team and get more recognition. His loyalty to this team and the city of Charlotte should never be forgotten, nor questioned.

Something I’ve been thinking about lately is what Kemba actually means to this great city. Sure, some could argue that Cam Newton, Luke Kuechly, or even Greg Olsen are the faces of Charlotte and that’s all well and good. But those are the Carolina Panthers. As much as I love them, they represent more than Charlotte, which is a great sentiment and one I personally like. Yet, Kemba plays for the Charlotte Hornets and to be honest, I think is a better fit as the face of this city.

Kemba Walker is a dazzling player, but outside of Charlotte faithful, hardcore basketball fans, and his fellow players, he’s not a well-known commodity.

I love Cam Newton. Say what you want about him, but he’s a fierce competitor and much like Kemba, puts his body on the line in order to win games. Also like Kemba, the parts around him leave a little to be desired. Both players have to dig a little deeper and help will their teams to wins.

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But, personality-wise, they do have some differences. Cam, for better or worse, likes to talk. I don’t necessarily agree with everything he does or says, but Cam is an entertainer and loves to have fun. Kemba, on the contrary, is very reserved, quiet, unassuming, and outside of games, tends to be more private. Both obviously have charities they work with and things they do to benefit the community, but Kemba seems to shun the limelight and I think that’s why fans find him so endearing. It’s also why he’s the perfect face for the Queen City.

When you think about it, there are a lot of parallels between Kemba and Charlotte. Kemba’s recent All-Star snub is a corollary that Charlotte natives know all too well. Charlotte is the 17th largest city in the US in terms of population. That’s higher than the likes of Boston, Seattle, Washington D.C., and Denver.

If you asked anyone from those aforementioned cities what Charlotte has to offer or what their pro basketball team is, most wouldn’t have a clue. Nevermind the fact that Charlotte is a banking superpower. Perhaps I’m overstating Charlotte’s lack of notoriety. It does seem, however, that the city is an afterthought to most people not in the state. Hell, ESPN still calls the Hornets the Bobcats on occasion.

Kemba Walker is hardly a household name, while quietly being one of the best guards in the league.

Kemba Walker, as well, seems to be an afterthought in terms of NBA fandom. Despite averaging 22 points and almost six assists per game, Kemba was left off the All-Star ballot. Some would argue that it’s due to the Hornets’ poor record and that may be part of it. However, I think it mainly stems from Charlotte being a “small-market” team.

But, what determines a market? As stated earlier, Charlotte has more citizens than other “large-market” teams. Granted, Charlotte is considered a transplant city, with a sizable portion of its citizens being from out of state. Then again, with as many Stephen Curry jerseys in the stands when the Warriors come to town, maybe we really are a small-market team.

Still, I couldn’t think of a better player to be the face of Charlotte. Kemba is hardworking, loyal, and genuinely cares about the area. Him winning the NBA Sportsmanship award last season is a testament to that. It’s why I think trading him would be a colossal mistake. We’ve lost a team. We’ve lost an All-Star game. We had a season with only seven wins. Kemba is the one recent bright spot the city has in terms of basketball.

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He represents this city in a way no other athlete could. He’s under the radar, not overly flashy, and gets the job done without much fanfare. Much like the city itself. He might not be as electric as a Russell Westbrook or Curry. He might not be as pure of a passer as John Wall or Chris Paul. But, he is tough as nails, competes at the highest level, and wants to win at all costs. I think that’s something the people of this fine city need and can relate to. Kemba is Charlotte…. and Charlotte is Kemba.

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