See inside Kemba Walker's new youth sports hub
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When Kemba Walker broke the Charlotte Hornets all-time scoring record in 2018, he had tears in his eyes as he said after the game, "I'm not supposed to be here. A lot of people where I'm from, they don't make it."
Why it matters: Today the former NBA All-Star has opened a new youth sports facility in Concord, making sure the next generation of players has a place to develop.
The big picture: The Kemba Walker Sports Academy in downtown Concord provides much needed indoor sports space for not only basketball players, but also volleyball, gymnastics, plus pickelball, to name a few.
Driving the news: The new youth sports hub celebrates its grand opening with the inaugural Kemba Walker Invitational June 27-28. More than 60 teams are participating from around the country, including the AAU team Walkers grew up playing with in the Bronx.
What to expect: The 54,000-square-foot facility includes:
- Four full-size high school basketball courts.
- Eight volleyball courts.
- A strength and conditioning center.
- Space for performance analysis, including studying game or practice footage.
Stop by: 24 Spring Street SW Concord
Flashback: Walker was drafted by the Bobcats (now Hornets) No. 9 overall in the 2011 NBA Draft. The undersized point guard out of UConn defied expectations and became a four-time NBA All-Star.
- His trade to the Boston Celtics in 2019 left a void in Charlotte.
- Walker retired in 2024 and made his way back to the Hornets, this time as part of the coaching staff. He's far from done with the Charlotte area, and he told reporters Friday he never truly left. He always kept a house here, his family was always here and he tried to spend time here during the summer when he could. Now his name is on a building.
What they're saying: "That's something you dream of as a kid," Walker said. "Just to hoop in general."
- He says he's wanted to open an academy to give kids a safe place to play and develop for a long time. He hopes to be around the academy as much as he can to be a resource for the next generation of players.
Take a look around.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to include quotes from Kemba Walker.