Kemba knocks a Knick future
Kemba Walker can’t avoid it. Whenever he sets foot in the five boroughs, the questions come from every direction.
“I’ve been hearing it for years,” Walker said Thursday, after working with youngsters at the National Basketball Players Association summer camp. “Every time I come home, ‘When are you going to come home and play for the Knicks?’ I know it’s a special place, I was a Knicks fan growing up, always rooted for the home team. But I just can’t see myself in a Knicks jersey, only because I’ve only been in one jersey.”
Walker, 28, a twotime All-Star, is seven years removed from that never-to-be-forgotten UConn finish, and seven years into his NBA career, all with the Hornets, entering his prime and a year away from free agency.
He worked with tristate area boys and girls ages 9 to 17 — explaining and demonstrating the step-back move, and giving props to A.J. Price for teaching it — took questions and signed at least 150 autographs at Basketball City, in the shadow of the Manhattan Bridge.
Then Walker (photo) touched on the hot topics. What about Brooklyn?
“It’s always kind of weird because the Knicks are here,” he said. “There are definitely die-hard fans, that’s one thing about people from Brooklyn, they’re very loyal, die-hard, believe in their team. I love playing there.”
The temptation to return to play at Madison Square Garden, the scene of his signature Huskies moments, and help bring stability and stature back to the Knicks, a franchise so long mired in turmoil, will be immense if he is a free agent a year from now. But Walker has put down roots in Charlotte and though the Hornets have not won much over the years, he wants to be part of it when they do. General manager Mitch Kupchak has said he wants Walker to be the “focal point” as the franchise moves forward.
“I just want to do something special in Charlotte,” Walker said. “I’ve been there eight years now, and we haven’t really been consistent as far as winning. I just want to try to establish that culture at some point. That’s what I want to do, I just want to make it a winning organization.”
There is also temptation for the Hornets to trade him now and get maximum value in return. Walker, who has averaged more than 20 points per game in each of the last three seasons, has been a popular figure in the summer’s trade rumors.
“At first, it bothers you,” he said. “Who wouldn’t it bother? Who wants to hear his name in trade rumors? But I’m seven years in, it’s not the first time. It’s something I’ve gotten over. What can I do?”
The Hornets have acquired Tony Parker, winner of four NBA championships during his 17 seasons in San Antonio, and Walker looks forward to him bringing those winning ways to the Hornets’ young players and working with him on shooting. They’ve been texting constantly, Walker says.
“I just can’t believe he left San Antionio,” Walker said. “You can just see how much he loves the game, how much he respects the game. To go to coach [Gregg Popovich] and tell him it would be best for the team [if he sat down], who does that? That’s a Hall of Fame guy right there.”
Walker was in China last week for an NBA five-on-five grassroots tournament, visiting the Great Wall, “which was amazing,” he said. So he missed Jim Calhoun’s All-Star Game this time around, but he broke into a wide smile when he talked about Calhoun’s return to coaching with St. Joseph.
“I can see it,” Walker said “I know what kind of guy he is, the kind of basketball junkie he is, so I’m surprised he hasn’t gotten back into coaching [sooner], especially with some of the vacant spots. I’d say, ‘Calhoun’s probably going to go for that.’ I know what he can do for kids, how he can make guys better on and off the court. It’s all about life lessons, and he’s good at that. It’s not always about basketball.”
He was also excited to see former teammate Shabazz Napier sign with the Nets, and expects he will get more minutes there.
Walker’s last season at UConn, the 2010-11 championship, was Kevin Ollie’s first back on campus as an assistant coach. With Ollie let go as coach in March, and still in a dispute with UConn over his contract, Walker offered support.
“I try to stay away from that,” Walker said, “but at the same time, K.O.’s my guy. I like K.O., he’s a great coach, even better person. Nobody deserves that. I try to stay away from it but I’m on K.O.’s side, always.”