Cardiac Kemba is calling it a career.
Four-time All-Star Kemba Walker announced his retirement from basketball on July 3, Wednesday.
The cat-quick guard spent 12 seasons in the NBA and developed into one of the most dynamic scoring little guards in the league in his heyday.
“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,” Walker posted.
“This has been a dream. When I look back, I still can’t believe the things I achieved in my career.”
The ninth overall pick in the 2011 draft, Walker blossomed into a star in the Charlotte Hornets, making four straight All-Star Game appearances from 2017-20 and was a third-team all-NBA selection during the 2018-19 season.
Kemba averaged 19.8 points, 5.5 assists, and 3.8 rebounds across 605 total regular season games during his time in Charlotte.
Walker left the Hornets to join the Boston Celtics during the 2019 offseason and made another All-Star game during his first year in Boston.
But knee knee issues slowed him down before bouncing in the league after brief stints with the New York Knicks and the Dallas Mavericks.
The 34-year-old last played in the EuroLeague with AS Monaco.
Walker went on to become the all-time leading scorer in Hornets history and is 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.
Before the NBA, Walker was a 2011 NCAA champion with UConn — averaging 23.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists during his junior year.
One of his signature moments came in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals that year, when he hit a game-winning shot at the buzzer to upset Pittsburgh. The Walker-led Huskies beat Butler in the title game.
He finished his NBA career with 19.3 points, 5.3 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game.Kemba Walker has officially announced his retirement.
— SleeperHoops (@Sleeper_Hoops) July 2, 2024
Throwback to “Cardiac Kemba” hitting the shot of his life on UCONN 🔥
pic.twitter.com/ac2K0u5Vn0
