Charlotte Hornets Alumni: Kemba Walker looks like Team USA’s leader
Former Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker has emerged as a leader for this years Team USA squad with his impact both on and off the court.
With so many stars such as Kawhi Leonard and James Harden passing on playing for Team USA this summer, former Charlotte Hornets star and current Boston Celtics guard Kemba Walker has become the face of this years group. He’s arguably the best player on the team and they will need his stardom if they hope to win a gold medal.
USA Basketball held a scrimmage last night, in which Walker competed for Team Blue. He propelled them to a 97-78 victory over Team White. The ex-Hornet ended up with 14 points and four assists in just 16 minutes of action. Just another day in the office for him.
Walker was aggressive from the opening tip and his teammates followed his lead. Watching him share the back court with Donovan Mitchell had to have been a tough sight for Charlotte Hornets fans. That duo will have a lot of offensive responsibilities for the team led by Gregg Popovich, who I would easily call the greatest coach of all time.
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Mitchell finished the scrimmage with eight points, two rebounds and four assists. Many Hornets fans still have not forgiven the franchise for passing on Mitchell for Malik Monk during the 2017 NBA Draft.
Walker has not only always been a leader on the court, but off the court as well. He’s one of the more likable guys in the league and his teammates love him. He and Mitchell, in particular, have developed some good chemistry over the summer. Check out this quote via NBA.com from Kemba on Mitchell’s game:
"“I love playing with that kid. He’s such a competitor. He’s so intense. He reminds me of myself a lot. I love it. It’s going to be fun playing with him.”"
During this opportunity to suit up for Team USA during training camp, Walker has been able to build some chemistry with some of his new Celtic teammates. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart are all fighting for a final roster spot when Team USA heads to China to play in the FIBA World Cup.
Walker will be on the roster, but his Celtics teammates aren’t a sure thing. Jayson Tatum, who is going into his third NBA season, has the best chances of the three. He’s in for a big season now that Kyrie Irving has signed with the Brooklyn Nets. He’ll be featured offensively a lot more often.
It’s going to be weird watching Kemba Walker in a Boston Celtics uniform during the 2019-20 season. He was the best player in Charlotte Hornets franchise history and will be deeply missed. He earned the right to change teams, and he deserves to be in a winning situation.
This may be the weakest roster that USA Basketball has assembled in recent memory, but you can count on Walker to leave it all on the court and give it his all as he looks to add a gold medal to his resume.
Next. Batum and Gobert are teaming up for France. dark
I know that Hornets fans will be keeping a close eye on him throughout the season. There’s no love lost from either side.