Boston Globe story praising Kemba

[amory]

Kemba Walker has emerged as one of the game’s elite players - The Boston Globe

Not sure if you'll hit a paywall. Here's some quotes:

It was a signature moment, and signature moments don’t happen often in Charlotte. After draining yet another 3-pointer against the Celtics, sealing last Monday’s game with a stellar 43-point effort, Kemba Walker declared the Spectrum Center and the city of Charlotte as “my house” to the frenzied crowd thrilled by yet another one-man show.

Walker had dropped 60 points on the Philadelphia 76ers in the previous game. The 28-year-old guard, who has done nothing but produce in his years with the Hornets though in relative anonymity, is approaching a major payday as an unrestricted free agent this summer.

The 6-foot-1-inch former UConn star is third in the NBA in scoring at 28.8 points per game, and is turning his upcoming free agency into one of the league’s major story lines. The Hornets haven’t had a franchise cornerstone since Charlotte was revitalized as an NBA city in 2004, and Walker is the closest thing the city has to a superstar.

At the end of the game against the Celtics, Walker was hearing “MVP” chants from the home crowd, and deservedly so. There may be no player in the NBA who has the same responsibilities as Walker has with the Hornets. Charlotte’s second-leading scorer is Jeremy Lamb at 14.1 points per game, less than half of Walker’s average. In the Hornets’ victory over the Celtics, Lamb did not score in the fourth quarter.

Walker has to carry the load every night, surrounded essentially by a bunch of role players. The organization hasn’t drafted well, giving Walker a subpar supporting cast. One bright spot, however, has been the play of rookie Miles Bridges, who has the potential to be a star.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling to hear those chants,” Walker said. “Especially because I’ve been here for so long. I really don’t know what to say. That really was an [amazing] moment.

One of the first to acknowledge Walker’s abilities after his 43-point game was Celtics coach Brad Stevens, who called the performance “special.” Walker also helped beat Stevens’s Butler team for UConn in the 2011 NCAA national championship game.

“It means a lot because Coach Stevens is a great coach,” Walker said. “You know how good of a team that is. That’s a great basketball team right there. We wanted it, man. We wanted it and we needed it and I’m really excited for us that we got that win. They fought hard. They have great players. But what do you want me to say? We wanted that game.”

It's awesome to see Kemba finally getting national attention despite being in Charlotte. He's been great for them for a long time before this.

I can't see the Hornets giving him that kind of money with the current team around him, and if I were Kemba I'd want to see what else is out there at this point in his career. But if he's happy there and they want to make him a supermax guy hey, go get your money kid.

 

[Husky pride]

Delighted for Kemba....as well as for Lamb!!

 

[UConn990411]

It’s rare in today’s age to see a player be universally liked, but Kemba is one of the rare exceptions.

(Of course, that’ll like change in a hurry if he finds his way onto a contender.)

 

[Kenny11]

It’s rare in today’s age to see a player be universally liked, but Kemba is one of the rare exceptions.

(Of course, that’ll like change in a hurry if he finds his way onto a contender.)

True.. also among players in the league, he has a huge amount of respect. All of the top players seek him out to give him hugs after games against Charlotte.

 

[HooperScooper]

Thanks for posting this. I was going to do it yesterday when I was reading the Globe sports section but then I forgot. The columnist was effusive in his praise for Kemba. I was asking myself if he's a UConn fan!

 

[UofCT]

I forget which poster I went back and forth with over Kemba this summer but I will bend the knee. I was wrong.

 

[intlzncster]

Please let the Celtic deal Kyrie and get us Kemba. I just want to be able to cheer him night in and night out again. It's really freakin hard to follow Charlotte, and a man only has so much time.

 

[dogpause]

Maybe I need to start watching NBA games.