It’s March, and NCAA tournament legend Kemba Walker seems to be channeling the same force that propelled his University of Connecticut Huskies to a national championship; only this time, he is performing on the NBA’s grand stage. No matter the competition, Walker seems to tower above all challengers as a titan among men when February comes to an end.
Since February 6th, Walker has led the Charlotte Hornets on an 18-5 stretch, only 1.5 games behind its division-rival Atlanta Hawks and third place in the Eastern Conference. Considering the Hornets boasted a record of 24-26 before its recent surge, Charlotte has burst onto the scene as a contender in the Eastern Conference.
While the Hornets have several talented players, the undisputed leader of the team is Walker, who, during the recent streak of success, has posted per game averages of: 22.9 points, 5.7 assists and 4.6 rebounds, while shooting 44.8% from the field, 39.9% on three-point attempts and 82.0% on free throws.
So why is nobody giving Walker and the Hornets the respect they both deserve? Part of the reason is that the Hornets, formerly the Bobcats, have been perennial bottom-feeders in the NBA, and are part of a small market city in Charlotte, limiting the exposure the team receives. Additionally, a lack of touted prospects or highlight-reel players leaves the Hornets off of many highlight reels thus contributing to Kemba not getting the attention he deserves.
Walker has always had the killer crossover that kept defenders on their heels, but his inconsistency behind the arc (31.8% career three-point shooting prior to this season) allowed defenses to back off of him and give space. This is no longer the case as Walker is draining 38% of his three-point attempts; ranking seventh-best in the league among all players with at least 400 three-point attempts.
Remember that Walker is doing all this even though Al Jefferson and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist have missed a majority of the season with injuries. The Hornets used to lean on Jefferson and his magical abilities in the post, but his absence has forced other players to step up and replace his production. Off-season acquisition Nicolas Batum has been a vital piece for the Hornets, taking the minutes vacated by Kidd-Gilchrist’s injuries and providing a solid combination of shooting and playmaking from the wing.
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However, other than Walker, Jefferson and Batum, the Hornets are turning to journeymen such as: Marvin Williams, Courtney Lee and Jeremy Lin to provide the team with a balanced roster. The other significant contributors are Cody Zeller and Frank Kaminsky, unproven players who have been unable to control the paint, especially with the absence of Jefferson.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are heavy favorites to win the Eastern Conference and return to the NBA Finals, and with other solid teams including: the Miami Heat, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors looking to be players in the East, a championship is likely out of the question for Charlotte; however, winning the three-seed could make a second-round berth a realistic goal and provide the team with much-needed playoff experience.
As for the future in Charlotte, Hornets Owner Michael Jordan and his front office will have plenty of decisions to make regarding roster construction as Jefferson, Batum, Williams, Lin and Lee all set to become free agents this off-season. Charlotte is not a marquee destination for free agents at the moment, and a consistent trend of drafting middling players throughout Jordan’s tenure has hurt the team’s effort to build from within the organization. So adding more star power to the Hornets may prove to be a challenge, but is necessary for the team to continue its improvement.
Hornets fans should soak up all the time with Walker they can get, as stars in Charlotte are not easy to come by. The new franchise has had only one player make the All-Star Game, Gerald Wallace, and arguably one of the biggest snubs this past year with Walker being left off the team. There is no guarantee Jordan will be able to lure the right players or pick them in the draft, so enjoy the Walker highlights and late-game field goals while you can Charlotte.