The time has come for Kemba Walker to retire from professional basketball, as he announced on Tuesday that his career is calling him. After 12 seasons in the NBA, the veteran actor wrote on social media that he is retiring from the game and is “excited” about what will happen in this next phase of his life.
The player from the Bronx was playing this past campaign for the French team AS Monaco, but he could not perform as well as before. The 34-year-old player seems to have accepted his reality and thanked everyone who supported him during his time as an athlete.
“This has all been a dream,” the four-time NBA All-Star said in a statement posted on social media. “When I look back, I still can't believe the things I have achieved in my career.”
Kemba Walker has officially announced his retirement.
Throwback to “Cardiac Kemba” hitting the shot of his life at UCONN 🔥
pic.twitter.com/ac2K0u5Vn0– SleeperHoops (@Sleeper_Hoops) July 2, 2024
Walker is convinced that he would not have been able to achieve success without the people around him. “I know I couldn't have gotten to this point without your incredible support.
“There are many people I have to thank – my mother, father and my whole family, my teammates who have become family, and the coaches who believe in me and bring out the best in me,” he wrote. “Basketball will be a part of my life forever so this is not goodbye. I'm excited for the next one.”
Unfortunately for the guard, he's seen his career derailed by injuries over the past few campaigns, including his 37-game season with the Knicks two years ago. He signed with the Mavericks in November 2022 but was waived three months later in January after playing 9 games for Dallas.
After finishing his NBA career with 19.3 points, 5.3 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game, he decided to try European basketball, knowing that he would probably never return. “I'm not sure. I mean, the NBA is obviously the biggest goal, but I have played there for many years,” he said last year. “For now, I am only focused on my new journey, this experience that awaits me with the new life I will have.
“I am happy and looking forward to take advantage of this opportunity in Monaco. I can't wait to explore the city and meet the people, my teammates, the staff, and everything around the club. We will have a good time. I can't wait for it to start.”
Although he did not make it in Europe, he revealed that he had many good moments in his last season of basketball playing for AS Monaco.
After not receiving a suitable offer to play again in the league, the 33-year-old decided to accept the opportunity to take his game to Europe and signed for AS Monaco last year. Despite quitting after one campaign, he realized how much he enjoyed the experience.
“It was amazing. It was everything everyone told me it would be. The fans were great, I'm very grateful to see that,” said Kemba after his first game in Europe. “I thought we made it difficult for everyone, especially in the fourth. Those guys are really good, they just didn't shoot.”
As international stars have said in the past, the game of basketball between Europe and the United States has many differences. The court is small, the game is physical, the rules are based on FIBA rules, etc.
“I don't know yet,” he said when he was about to feel used to playing European basketball. “It will take me some time to find a rhythm. I have to get myself into the rhythm of the game. But anyway, like I said, I'm very happy, I'm happy with the short minutes I played. It's all about getting myself into a rhythm so I can help my team more.”
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