Former All-Star guard Kemba Walker announces retirement NBA.com

Kemba Walker scored 12,009 points with the Hornets to set the team’s all-time mark.

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Kemba Walker, the all-time leading scorer in Charlotte Hornets history and a four-time All-Star in his 12 NBA seasons, announced his basketball retirement on Tuesday.

Walker, who played for AS Monaco of the Euroleague last season, spent eight seasons with the Hornets (2011-19), two seasons with the Boston Celtics (2019-21) and one season each with the New York Knicks (2021-22) and Dallas Mavericks (2022-23) in his NBA career.

In his social media post, Walker wrote: “Basketball has done more for me than I could’ve ever imagined, and I am super thankful for the amazing journey I’ve had. With that, I’m here to share that I am officially retiring from the game of basketball.

“This has been a dream. When I look back, I still can’t believe the things I achieved in my career.”

Thank you, basketball. pic.twitter.com/gLUbQnZMP5

— Kemba Walker (@KembaWalker) July 2, 2024

Forever a Buzz City legend ⭐ pic.twitter.com/SNpGTPNd9O

— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) July 2, 2024

The 6-foot guard was a three-time NBA All-Star in Charlotte, and then in his first season in Boston in 2019-20. But the 33-year-old Walker missed significant time recently with knee issues, including playing 37 games with New York in 2021-22 and just nine games with Dallas last season.

Walker retires as the Hornets’ top scorer and ranks in the franchise’s top three in games played, assists and steals while also holding the team record for 3-pointers made and attempted, field goals made and attempted and free throws made and attempted.

He averaged 19.3 points for his 12-year NBA career, which followed him almost single-handedly powering Connecticut to the 2011 NCAA championship in a remarkable late-season run.

Walker played most of the pandemic-altered 2019-20 season, the last of five consecutive seasons in which he averaged at least 20 points per game.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.