Kemba Walker 'Not Certain' About Pushing for NBA Return After Signing Monaco Contract

Kemba Walker began the latest chapter of his basketball journey Friday when he signed with AS Monaco of the LNB Pro A in France.

A four-time All-Star, Walker became one of the most high-profile players to ever make the move from the NBA to the European game following a couple of unproductive seasons in the States, most recently playing for the Dallas Mavericks.

And while he'll miss playing on the sport's biggest stage, Walker isn't sure yet whether he wants to eventually make a return to the NBA. He's just excited to get his European career underway.

"I'm not certain. I mean, the NBA is obviously the main goal, but I've played there for many years," Walker said in his first interview after joining Monaco. "For now, I'm solely focused on my new adventure, this experience that awaits me with the new life I'm going to have. I'm so excited and eager to seize this opportunity in Monaco. I can't wait to explore the city and meet the people, my teammates, the staff, and everything surrounding the club. We're going to have some great moments. Can't wait for it to begin,"

Walker, 33, was one of the best guards in the NBA during the 2010s. He was the only star on a struggling Charlotte Hornets franchise for the majority of his career.

He reached his peak in the 2018-19 campaign—his last year with the Hornets—as he averaged a career-high 25.6 points per game to go along with 4.4 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.2 steals.

It was also the last season in which he was completely healthy. He'd never play more than 56 games again over stints with the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and Mavericks as he dealt with knee injuries.

Walker saw a huge reduction in his role after his second season in Boston, he'd eventually end up with his hometown Knicks after reaching a buyout with the Oklahoma City Thunder ahead of the 2021-22 season, but only played 37 games before getting benched for the rest of the year.

Dallas signed him to a one-year, non-guaranteed deal in Nov. 2022 but he made just nine appearances for the organization, a far cry from his last All-Star season in 2019.

Now, Walker'll be able to return to a much bigger role with Monaco if healthy and is excited to see the belief that the club has shown in him so far.

"The club was very interested in me, and I just wanted to be part of a club that wanted me, that believed in me," he said. "I saw that the directors felt I could help them reach another level. That's what convinced me and made me decide to join Monaco. What's more, it's an extraordinary city where I want to spend some time and gain new life experiences.

"So it's going to be a really fun time, and I'm looking forward to the opportunity. I just want to keep playing basketball at a high level, and Monaco allows me to do that"