NBA fans react to 4x All-Star Kemba Walker joining Ice Cube's Big 3 league following in Dwight Howard's footsteps

Modified Apr 17, 2025 21:14 GMT

NBA fans react to Kemba Walker joining BIG3 (Photo credits: IMAGN) — NBA fans react to Kemba Walker joining BIG3 (Credits: IMAGN)

Four-time All-Star Kemba Walker announced his retirement from the NBA in 2024. He had a 12-year career starting in Charlotte - as a Bobcat and later as a Hornet. He also played for the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and the Dallas Mavericks.

While he's no longer playing in the NBA, fans have not seen the last of Walker on the basketball court. This year, he is joining the Big3 league, per Chris Haynes.

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News of Kemba Walker returning to the court in a different league caused a wave of excitement among fans.

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"Kemba. Dwight. Must see," one person said.

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"Can’t wait to watch Kemba, Dwight, and Beasley play summer hoops with @thebig3," another person tweeted.

"Damn Kemba bouta cook everybody. This will be must watch TV lol," someone said.

Other fans became nostalgic as they remembered what Walker did in the NBA before he retired.

"Knick legend," one person said.

"Prime Kemba was such a joy to watch," another tweeted.

"We'll always love Cardiac Kemba," someone said.

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Kemba Walker isn't the only ex-NBA All-Star coming to the Big3 this year. 2020 champion Dwight Howard - last played in the NBA in the 2021-22 season - is also coming to the league.

This league - co-founded by Ice Cube - was launched in 2017. It differed from the NBA in that it featured a 3-on-3 format, but it also included ex-NBA stars and some international talent.

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Kemba Walker is a part of the Charlotte Hornets coaching staff

After retiring, Kemba Walker joined the Charlotte Hornets's coaching staff. This continued his connection with Charlotte - where he was drafted by the Bobcats in 2011 and played eight seasons. Walker was part of the Hornets team that reached the playoffs (2014 and 2016).

His last NBA team was the Boston Celtics (2019 to 2023) - whom he joined in a sign-and-trade for Terry Rozier - before moving overseas.

Kemba Walker - who retired as a three-time All-Star (2017-2019) - returned to the Hornets as a player development coach on James Borrego's staff, but it's unclear if he will stay once the Big3's 2025 season begins.

About the author

Miguel is a basketball writer at Sportskeeda with an overall experience of 7 years. A lover of the sport owing to its mental aspect, he has played it throughout high school and college as a power forward and small forward, and has also coached high school and college basketball teams. These experiences have given him a unique perspective on the game, which translates into insightful content.

For Miguel, the San Antonio Spurs, especially during the Tim Duncan era, were the embodiment of team basketball. He respects Gregg Popovich's empathy toward his players and his understanding of the game. The Spurs' titles, Kobe Bryant's poignant "Dear Basketball" tribute, Derrick Rose's remarkable 50-point game with Minnesota and Magic Johnson's remarkable comeback are among Miguel's top basketball moments.

For his articles, he conducts thorough research, cross verifies information with at least three sources, and sometimes sacrifices speed for accuracy. Content simplification and maintaining a neutral view on topics are his strengths.

Miguel follows other sports, particularly the NFL, and when not working he enjoys hobbies like cooking and playing video games.

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Edited by William Paul