Additional Coverage: Kemba Walker (Gallery)
January 25, 2016 – The NBA announced today that Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker has been named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played Monday, Jan. 18 through Sunday, Jan. 24. It is the third career Player of the Week award for Walker, who led the Hornets to a 3-1 record on the week.
During the week, Walker led the Eastern Conference in points per game (34.8), field goals made per game (11.3), free throw percentage (.923, 36-of-39, min. 20 FTA), while also ranking fourth in steals (2.25) and ninth in assists per game (6.0). He also averaged 6.0 rebounds per game. Walker led the NBA in total points (139) and total field goals (45) and was the only player in the NBA to record at least 125 points, 20 rebounds and 20 assists during the week.
Walker scored a career-best 52 points against Utah on Jan. 18, setting a franchise single-game points record by topping Glen Rice’s 48-point outing vs. Boston on March 6, 1997. In addition, Walker tallied nine rebounds and eight assists in the game, becoming only the fifth NBA player since the 1985-86 season to tally a 52-point, nine-rebound and eight-assist performance and only the fourth player this season to record a 50-plus point game. On Jan. 22, Walker scored 40 points in a 19-point comeback victory at Orlando, becoming only the third player this season to have a 50-point game and 40-point game in the same week.
For the season, the Connecticut product is averaging a career-high 20.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.8 steals in 35.9 minutes per game, leading the Hornets in scoring, minutes played and steals. Since Christmas Day, Walker leads the Eastern Conference with 25.4 points per game.
The following chart details Walker’s statistics from the week: