NBA Draft 2011: 10 Bold Predictions for Kemba Walker and His Career as a Pro
Kemba Walker enjoyed as fine a junior season in college basketball as anyone could hope for. He averaged 23.5 points, 4.5 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game for the Connecticut Huskies as he proved that he literally had nothing left to prove for anyone at the college level.
The point guard became a household name as he led his team to an unprecedented postseason run en route to the Big East Championship and the NCAA Championship. In doing so, Walker elevated his draft stock from fringe first-rounder to potential lottery pick.
Read on for 10 predictions about his eventual professional career.
He Will Start by Being a Lottery Pick
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Kemba Walker spent most of the 2010-2011 college basketball season stuck near the end of the first round in most mock drafts, but his late-season success boosted him up into the lottery range.
No player had ever led his team to five wins in five days during the Big East Conference Tournament as Walker managed to do with his Connecticut Huskies. Then, when most thought his magic would run out, Walker put the team on his back once more and ended up cutting down the nets after winning the NCAA Championship.
Now pro scouts have realized just how impressive his intangibles and guard skills are. With a relatively weak draft class this year, Walker is easily going to be a lottery pick, and I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him picked in the top 10 by a point guard-hungry team like the Cleveland Cavaliers.
He Will Become the Second-Best Point Guard in the Draft Class
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His competition for the distinction of "best point guard drafted in the 2011 NBA draft" will be pretty stiff as Duke's Kyrie Irving, Kentucky's Brandon Knight, BYU's Jimmer Fredette, Colorado's Alec Burks, Butler's Shelvin Mack and Duke's Nolan Smith are all expected to be drafted in the first round along with the Walker.
But Walker is going to distinguish himself in the long run. Only Irving and Knight are commonly thought to be higher up on draft boards, although Fredette does come before Walker on some.
After a few seasons though, Walker is going to be known as the second-best guard from the class, losing out only to the former Blue Devil.
John Wall-Like Impact During His First Season
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After being taken with the first-overall pick of the 2010 NBA draft by the Washington Wizards, John Wall went on to have a bigger impact than any other rookie from that draft class. He will eventually lose out to Blake Griffin in the Rookie of the Year voting, but Griffin was after all drafted in 2009.
Wall averaged 16.4 points, 8.3 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game during his first season running the point at the professional level. If Walker lands in a similar situation where he's immediately handed the reigns, and patience is displayed as he learns on the job, he will be able to have a similar impact.
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Media Darling
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He's already become a household name and been invited to throw out first pitches thanks to his incredible postseason runs. But Kemba Walker has yet to find out what superstardom is like at the NBA level.
Once he shows that he wasn't just a collegiate flash in the pan, Walker is going to be fully embraced by the media. He already created a circus everywhere he went while still in Connecticut thanks to a great set of skills, a bright smile and a stellar personality.
He's exactly the kind of guy who can immediately become the face of a franchise and live up to that role despite the constant scrutiny of the media.
First Name Only Status
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It's not too common for an NBA player to reach first name-only status. Kobe has done it. So too has LeBron. But the list is not too long.
Fortunately for Kemba Walker, he possesses not only the flashy game necessary to be added onto that exclusive list, but he also has the flashy first name that is required. There isn't another Kemba in the league, and that will absolutely work in his favor.
After a couple years, Kemba will be able to drop the Walker, and there will be no difference in how often he is recognized.
Spends His Entire Career in One City
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To be honest, I don't really have that much to back this up with, but I just have a gut feeling that Kemba Walker is a loyal guy at heart.
He's the youngest of three siblings and grew up in the Bronx. His mother was a big part of his life, and she was a constant sight in the stands during March Madness. After graduating from Rice High School, he moved on to the University of Connecticut.
While a member of the Huskies, Walker started for all three years that he was in attendance. The only reason he chose to leave school early was that he legitimately had nothing left to prove at the collegiate level. Walker was one of those rare cases who had nothing to lose by going pro early.
Something just tells me that Walker will fully embrace his role on whatever team drafts him and sticks with them throughout his career.
Immediately One of the Fastest Players in the League
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While not blessed with size, Kemba Walker is undoubtedly one of the fastest basketball players currently alive. He constantly blew by defenders with his ridiculous combination of quickness, speed, acceleration and agility.
That type of athleticism is something that will not fail to translate to the next level. I expect for him to immediately join John Wall, Monta Ellis, Aaron Brooks, Rajon Rondo, Derrick Rose and the other speedsters in league at the top of the speed ladder.
Develops an Outside Shot and Averages 20 PPG
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One of the few weakness with Walker's game is his inconsistency when asked to shoot from too far away from the basket.
However, Walker wasn't asked to work on that aspect of his game too often by Jim Calhoun. The Huskies coach knew that Walker could simply blow by the defender or use a step-back to create an open look. That same offensive strategy won't cut it in the NBA, and Walker knows that.
Walker has displayed a great work ethic thus far in his career and should devote the time necessary to develop a consistent jump shot. When he does that, he'll have every offensive tool necessary to score 20 points per game. And that's being conservative.
At Least One All-Star Selection
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Most players that have the full attention of the media and average 20 points per game become fan favorites.
Kemba Walker is already a very likable guy, and that's not going to change when he becomes a multi-millionaire who works in the NBA for a living. The All-Star roster is essentially comprised of the most popular stars of the NBA.
Walker is going to be one of those sooner rather than later.
Parties Like Its 2011 with a Playoff Run
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He won't be able to do so in his first season because he'll be stuck with a rather mediocre roster, but Kemba Walker is eventually going to lead his team on a playoff run.
It will take a couple of years to transform a lottery caliber team into a contender, especially if he goes to the Cleveland Cavaliers as I expect, but Walker is a dynamic enough player to help ease the process.
The point guard has already proven that he can carry a team for a sustained period of time, so it wouldn't surprise me at all to see him essentially put a team on his back for a playoff run.
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