“It's amazing now the amount of love we get around this city from all the Hornets' fans. Growing up, you really don't understand it. Now I'm really starting to realize what Hornets means here in Charlotte.”

American basketball coach and former player, born 1990

Kemba Walker is an American basketball coach and former professional player, best known for his career in the NBA and for his college success with Connecticut. Born in 1990, he was selected ninth overall by the Charlotte Bobcats in the 2011 NBA draft and later played for the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, and Dallas Mavericks before ending his playing career with AS Monaco. Walker became a national star at Connecticut, where he led the Huskies to the 2011 NCAA championship and won the tournament's Most Outstanding Player award. In the 2010 to 11 season, he was the nation's second-leading scorer and earned consensus first-team All-American honors. He is also a four-time NBA All-Star, a one-time All-NBA Team member, and a two-time winner of the NBA Sportsmanship Award.