Michael Jordan 's track record as a front-office executive was disastrous. From choosing Kwame Brown to be the Washington Wizards' top draft pick in the 2001 NBA Draft to selecting Adam Morrison as the Charlotte Bobcats ' third overall pick five seasons later, Jordan's decisions in the front office left much to be desired.
However, one saving grace of MJ's front-office stint was his selection of high-scoring guard Kemba Walker in 2011. Eager to land a point guard who could lead the Bobcats to the next level, His Airness traded up in the draft to nab "Cardiac Kemba," who was fresh off leading the UConn Huskies to the NCAA title.
Although the move didn't pay immediate dividends in Walker's first few years in Charlotte, Kemba revealed how an inspiring pep talk from the Chicago Bulls legend turned his career around.
Tried to defer rather than lead
Kemba, a 6-foot guard with a killer first step and an effective midrange game, had a tepid rookie season. He averaged 12.1 points on an awful 36% shooting clip—a far cry from his spectacular senior season when he averaged 23.5 points per game. The native of Bronx, New York, explained that his uninspiring play early on was because he wanted to fit in with his new team rather than come in and take over.
Jordan soon realized what was happening and called the point guard into his office.
"My moment with him was in my second year in the league. We had a couple of new players, and I'm young, with a few older guys on the team. I didn't want to step on anybody's toes, so I was kind of deferring a little bit. I guess he realized it, so he called me into the training room and closed the door. I'm thinking, 'What's going on?'" Kemba narrated on "7PM in Brooklyn."
Meeting one-on-one with the "Greatest of All Time" can be a nerve-wracking experience for any young player. However, this moment became the game-changer for Kemba's career.
"He looked me in my eyes and said, 'I didn't bring you here to defer. I didn't draft you to be the way you are right now. I want you to be aggressive and play like you did at UConn.' I said, 'Bet, say less.' He gave me the keys right there. That was it. That's what I needed to hear, especially from him," Walker shared.
Jordan's words resonated with the young point guard, sparking a significant transformation in his game. Kemba's sophomore season saw a marked improvement, with him averaging 17.7 points, 5.2 assists, and 2.0 steals per game. His shot selection and playmaking skills showed substantial growth, proving his capability to lift the Bobcats from the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
"In my head, I thought, 'I'm not letting this man down.' He picked me himself and traded up in the draft to get me. After that pep talk, I knew he really believed in me," Kemba stressed.
Related: Scottie Pippen on how Michael Jordan would have reacted if he left the Bulls: "He would have probably tried to shoot more and score more"
Couldn't let Jordan down
The 2013-2014 season was when the Bobcats began putting it all together. Kemba worked well with big man Al Jefferson and wingman Gerald Henderson to help the Bobcats go 43-39 in the regular season, earning the seventh seed in the East and a showdown with LeBron James and the Miami Heat in the first round.
With Jordan's confidence in him spurring him on, Kemba played a heck of a series versus the Heat, averaging 19.5 points, 6.0 assists, and 2.0 steals per contest. However, it was all for naught as Miami prevailed.
Despite the setback, Walker kept on going and went on to earn three straight berths to the All-Star Game. From 2017-2019, Kemba established himself as one of the league's best guards, averaging 23.7 points, 5.7 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per contest.
Related: "He too intense bro" - Kemba Walker on why he would never gamble with Michael Jordan
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