Kemba Walker hopes new Concord sports academy will inspire the next generation

Hornets' all-time leading scorer says the facility is about more than basketball, giving young athletes a safe place to grow on and off the court.

Kemba Walker cutting the ribbon to celebrate the new Kemba Walker Sports Academy in downtown Concord. Photo courtesy of April Clark.

Kemba Walker made his name as one of college basketball’s greatest point guards, leading UConn to the 2011 national championship.

But it was in Charlotte — first with the Bobcats and later the Hornets — where he truly became a franchise icon, spending eight seasons with the organization, earning four NBA All-Star selections and becoming the team’s all-time leading scorer.

Now, Walker, 36, is giving back to the Charlotte region that embraced him throughout his NBA career.