Point guard Kemba Walker, who has four NBA All-Star selections to his name, announced his retirement from professional basketball on Tuesday.
Walker, who played 12 years in the NBA before spending the last season with EuroLeague side AS Monaco, made the announcement via a statement shared on social media.
“I’m here to share that I am officially retiring from the game of basketball. This has all been a dream. When I look back, I still can’t believe the things I achieved in my career, “Walker wrote while thanking his family, former teammates, and coaches.
Kemba Walker rose to prominence during his college days, winning the national title with UConn Huskies in 2011. The same year, he entered the NBA Draft, where the Charlotte Bobcats, who would later become Hornets, took him ninth overall.
Walker went on to become the franchise’s cornerstone player and made three consecutive All-Star appearances between 2017 and 2019. However, Charlotte’s reluctance to give him a long-term extension prompted Walker to join the Boston Celtics ahead of the 2019-20 campaign.
While Walker received another All-Star nod with the Celtics in 2020, his time with the franchise was hampered by injuries and declining play. This prompted Boston to trade him just two years into his contract, which ultimately proved to be the beginning of the end of Walker’s NBA career.
Walker spent underwhelming stints with the New York Knicks and the Dallas Mavericks before trying to resurrect his career in Europe. However, he was mostly a bench player for Monaco and averaged just 4.4 points per game in 2023-24, which likely played a major role in the decision to end his career.
