Additional Coverage: Kemba Walker (Gallery)
March 6, 2017 – The NBA announced today that Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker has been named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played Monday, Feb. 27 through Sunday, March 5. This is Walker’s first Player of the Week award for the 2016-17 NBA season, and the fifth of his career. Walker has now tied Gerald Wallace for the most Player of the Week awards in Charlotte franchise history with five.
During the week, Walker, who led the Hornets to a 2-1 record, ranked third in the Eastern Conference in points per game (27.7) and was tied for the most three-point field goals per game (4.3) in the NBA. He also averaged 6.3 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game, shooting .429 percent from the field, .448 percent from the three-point line and .941 percent from the free throw line during the week. He was one of only two Eastern Conference players to average at least 25.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists. Additionally, the sixth-year pro connected on the most road three-pointers in the NBA (13).
With 30 points, seven assists and five rebounds against the Lakers on Feb. 28, Walker recorded his 11th 30-point game of the season. One game later, he posted a team-best 26 points, eight assists and four rebounds at Phoenix on March 2. Walker finished the week by tallying 27 points, four rebounds and four assists on March 4 in a win at Denver, setting a single season career-best for 20-plus point outings with 42 on the year (tied for fifth most in Eastern Conference).
The 2017 NBA All-Star is averaging career highs in points per game (22.9), field goal percentage (.450), three-pointers per game (2.8) and three-point field goal percentage (.405). Walker’s 22.9 scoring average is the second best in franchise history and the most by a Charlotte player since Glen Rice averaged 26.8 points during the 1996-97 season. Since The All-Star break, Walker is averaging 27.7 points per game, which is the fourth best scoring average in the Eastern Conference and 4.0 three-pointers per game, which is the most in the NBA during that time.