Charlotte Hornets point guard Kemba Walker became the franchise's all-time leading scorer last night, passing Dell Curry, who had 9,839 points during his 10 seasons with the team.
Walker, 27, scored 21 in a losing effort to the Cleveland Cavaliers, including a reverse layup with 20 seconds left that brought his career total to 9,841 points.
"It's super special because of all of the doubt I've gotten throughout my career and all of the criticism, but I just continue to prove them wrong," Walker said, according to ESPN.
"It was just pretty emotional," Walker said. "I really wish I would have played better earlier and we would have had a more competitive game, but it's still a huge accomplishment. For my family to be here and all the fans cheering me on like that, especially because we lost, they made it pretty special anyway."
Hornets owner Michael Jordan added,
"I'm really happy for Kemba. Becoming a franchise's all-time leading scorer is a big accomplishment, and it's a testament to his hard work, dedication and passion for the game of basketball. He exemplifies what it means to be a Hornet. His effort, leadership and commitment to our team and the City of Charlotte is second to none. I'm proud to have him on our team."
The 6'1 All-Star point guard out of UCONN was selected by Charlotte with the ninth pick in the 2011 NBA draft. After signing a four-year, $48 million contract with the team in 2015, Walker has been named to the All-Star team in consecutive seasons and is currently averaging 23 points and 5.7 assists per night.
