Basketball star Kemba Walker, who has been an NBA All-Star four times, is coming out of retirement to play in the BIG3 league in 2025. The league, created by Ice Cube and featuring 3-on-3 games, will begin its eighth season on June 14 in Chicago and finish on August 24. Games will be broadcast on CBS.
Walker became famous playing college basketball at UConn, where he led the Huskies to win the national championship in 2011 and was named the tournament`s best player. After college, he was drafted ninth overall by Charlotte (then the Bobcats, now the Hornets).
From 2011 to 2023, Walker played in the NBA for the Hornets, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, and Dallas Mavericks. He is best known for his eight seasons in Charlotte, where he became the team`s all-time leader in minutes played, field goals, and points.
Walker last played in the NBA in the 2022-23 season with the Mavericks. Before retiring in 2024, he played one season in Europe with AS Monaco. He remained involved in basketball by becoming a player development coach for the Hornets in 2024.
The BIG3 league will feature new city-based teams for the 2025 season, with eight teams in total. It is not yet known which team Walker will join. Another well-known player, eight-time NBA All-Star Dwight Howard, is also joining the BIG3 this summer.
Jasper Hawthorne