Kemba Walker Is Working Out With The Charlotte Bobcats On Friday Among Other NBA Draft Workouts

by Scott Schroeder on Jun 3, 2025 9:00 AM EDT in NBA Draft 2011

Kemba Walker is probably the most high-profile prospect in the 2011 NBA Draft class after leading the Connecticut Huskies to the NCAA championship and seems to be in the upper portion of the lottery in most NBA mock drafts.That hasn't stopped the Charlotte Bobcats from bringing the point guard in for a pre-draft workout, however, as they look for the player to select with the ninth overall pick.

Walker will be in Charlotte Friday along with Texas's Tristan Thompson, Butler's Shelvin Mack, Georgia's Trey Thompkins, USC's Nikola Vucevic and Delvon Johnson of Arkansas according to SB Nation's Rufus On Fire.

This could create a few interesting match-ups for Michael Jordan to witness, but the rematch of the NCAA championship between Walker and Mack should be fun to watch as long as the shooting performance doesn't carry over from that game as well.

(Pretty exciting we've talked about the Bobcats two straight days, huh?)

The Knicks, Jazz and Bucks are also holding pre-draft workouts on Friday -- at least those are the workouts people are talking about -- which we can talk about after the jump!

The New York Knicks are planning to bring in Kansas's Josh Selby, Tennessee's Tobias Harris, Matthew Bryan-Amaning from Washington, UCLA's Tyler Honeycutt and Purdue's JaJuan Johnson on Friday.

Considering the Knicks only have one draft pick (17th overall), it's interesting that Selby, Bryan-Amaning and Johnson as all three are projected to go at least ten picks after New York makes its selection.

The Milwaukee Bucks will host a hodge podge of candidates that are likely to go undrafted, but let's look at them anyway. Oakland's Keith Benson is the top prospect along with Pitt's Gary McGhee, American U's Vlad Moldoveanu, Bryquis Perine from Wisconsin-Green Bay, Illinois-Chicago's Paul Carter (formerly of Minnesota) and Utah State's Pooh Williams.

Like the Jazz earlier his week, it seems this workout would be better served as a quick look at possible Summer League invitees rather than players they'd consider with the 40th overall pick when the date of June 23 rolls around.

Last, but not least, the Utah Jazz are meeting Enes Kanter in Chicago. This has been talked about quite a bit since the mini-scandal and ensuing rumors at the NBA Draft combine so it'll be good to get it done, if nothing else.

The New Orleans Hornets are also having a free agent workout similar to the Timberwolves, but they're not releasing the names so I'm not talking about it yet.

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Read More: nba rumors, nba draft 2011, 2011 nba draft, nba draft rumors, 2011 nba mock draft, 2011 nba draft rumors, Gary McGhee (C - Pittsburgh), Bryquis Perine (G - Wis.-Green Bay), Keith Benson (C - Oakland, Mich), Matthew Bryan-Amaning (F - Washington), Pooh Williams (G - Utah St.), Paul Carter (F - Ill.-Chicago), Kemba Walker (G - UConn), Shelvin Mack (G - Butler), Howard Trey Thompkins (F - Georgia), Nikola Vucevic (F - Southern California), Vlad Moldoveanu (F - American U), Tyler Honeycutt (F - UCLA), Delvon Johnson (F - Arkansas), Josh Selby (G - Kansas), Enes Kanter (F - Kentucky), Tobias Harris (F - Tennessee), Tristan Thompson (F - Texas), Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Charlotte Bobcats, Utah Jazz, Connecticut Huskies

Comments

Coverage of the Bobcats is always thoroughly appreciated

Charlotte needs guys who can score. I am tired to them averaging 85 points a game or some foolishness close to that.

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by Julius Coxswain on Jun 3, 2025 12:27 PM EDT reply actions

I could see the Cats going with a Euro scorer at some point.

In My mock, I had them taking Motiejunas. While I’m not sold on him, he may be the spark you need to get your team going again. No offense, but I think the Bobcats are going in the wrong direction, and when that is happening, sometimes you have to take big risks. I could see Biyombo or Motiejunas, or even Jimmer, as a high-risk guy that could really pan out.

Theo-trade John Lackey for a used condom and a punch in the nose. Remember, it's all about value.

by LesterJohn on Jun 3, 2025 3:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Every Bobcats story should include a reference to Paul Silas.

He’s awesome.

Go Suns, Packers, Jays, and Huskers!

Green Bay Packers: Super Bowl XLV Champions!!!!

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by Omaha Sun on Jun 3, 2025 1:03 PM EDT reply actions

Kemba shouldn't fall past the Raptors

He might, but he shouldn’t. I never understood why his stock isn’t higher, and why people have projected him as a SG at the next level. He’s a PG who can shoot! Last I checked, that’s a great asset to have.

Hyperboles kill.
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by GoldenNugget on Jun 3, 2025 2:03 PM EDT reply actions

Can he really shoot though?

I don’t see him as a great shooter at all. He’s improved, sure. But I don’t see shooting (particularly from distance) as a strength. He was really great finishing mid-range and in, and is really quick with the dribble. That is what made him so good IMO. He could get anywhere he wanted and was great at finishing from 15’ and in.

As for being a SG, I didn’t see him as a great PG. UCONN was at their best in the tourney with Napier at the point and Kemba playing off the ball. And he was a serious shot-jacker during the season. He heated up during the Big East Tourney and on into the Big Dance (which impressed me), but I didn’t really like the way he played after his shots stopped falling early in the season. He doesn’t have the “only-option” argument going for him as well as Jimmer either, as he did have some talent around him.

To be fair, I have seen flashes and maybe he can continue to develop as a PG. But I don’t see it happening to the point where he is really successful. Perhaps Brandon Jennings could make for an apt comparison.

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Green Bay Packers: Super Bowl XLV Champions!!!!

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by Omaha Sun on Jun 3, 2025 2:17 PM EDT up reply actions

Kemba didn't have much around him, trust me.

I’m a proud Uconn fan who watched almost every game this year. The thing about Kemba is that he played all 40 minutes a game every game (except blowouts). He was the one option. From the start of the season to about mid-January (I’ll admit that his absurd start probably won’t be repeated), he was a lights out shooter. His first half was outstanding, and he just got kind of tired towards the end, leading to a difficult shooting 2nd half.

The only reason Uconn was better offensively with Napier was because Roscoe Smith and Charles Okwandu were incompetent. When Uconn was really at their best offensively was when they had a lineup of Kemba-Lamb-CoombsMcDaniel-Olander-Oriakhi. Kemba was quite apt at running the point, but he got doubled so much that it was easier for him to come off screens and get passes from Napier. The only reason Coombs-McDaniel and Olander didn’t play a lot was because of their ineptitude at D and Rebounding.

And if anything, Lamb’s successes should be credited to Kemba. He wasn’t a highly touted recruit, and early in the year he was virtually AWOL when he was on the court. Kemba figured out how to get him (and Oriakhi, and Coombs-McDaniel, and everyone else) the ball in the right places. He can play PG at the next level.

As for the Jennings comparison, no offense but I’m sick of that shit. Jennings was a streaky player who showed flashes of all-star potential and flashes of bust. Kemba, at worst, could come in and be a Jason Terry/Leandro Barbosa/Toney Douglas as a combo 1-2 sixth man. I think he could easily be a franchise PG, but I don’t think Jennings is. Kemba’s best comparison is Tim Hardaway (senior). Not a true pure PG, but can play it quite effectively.

I think Kemba is unfairly knocked for his size, which at 6’1 in shoes is not exactly horrendous. He’s a good shooter from 3, can play PG, has the intangibles of a PG, can get into the lane, is devastating in transition, is an incredible finisher from 15 ft in, and plays great lockdown D on PGs. Tell me what isn’t to like.

Theo-trade John Lackey for a used condom and a punch in the nose. Remember, it's all about value.

by LesterJohn on Jun 3, 2025 3:49 PM EDT up reply actions

I guess we're in the same boat

I think Kemba could end up being an absolute steal, and franchise PG type like D-Will, CP3, etc. Maybe not quite as good as those guys, but definitely franchise level, where you build around him. When evaluating talent I always thought those guys that did one thing really, really good would have a place in the NBA, and for Kemba, that’s his speed. I think the NBA is so fast-paced that guys with exceptional speed fit right in — Kemba is that guy to me.

by GoldenNugget on Jun 3, 2025 4:09 PM EDT up reply actions

I think he might be

a tweener in the guard position, kind of like Tyreke Evans

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by Cup Noodles on Jun 4, 2025 11:20 AM EDT up reply actions

Except Tyreke has 4 inches on him.

6’5" is good size for a SG. 6’1"… not so much.

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Green Bay Packers: Super Bowl XLV Champions!!!!

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by Omaha Sun on Jun 4, 2025 3:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Kemba is not a damn tweener. I'm so tired of hearing that BS

Theo-trade John Lackey for a used condom and a punch in the nose. Remember, it's all about value.

by LesterJohn on Jun 4, 2025 6:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Iverson was fine as SG

and he was only 6, height is not all-mighty

The dictionary is the only place where success comes before work. ~ a fortune cookie.

by Cup Noodles on Jun 4, 2025 8:15 PM EDT up reply actions

That's true,

I’m just saying Evans doesn’t seem like a good comparison to me.

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Green Bay Packers: Super Bowl XLV Champions!!!!

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by Omaha Sun on Jun 4, 2025 8:48 PM EDT up reply actions

No, like I said, Kemba's best comparison is Tim Hardaway.

Theo-trade John Lackey for a used condom and a punch in the nose. Remember, it's all about value.

by LesterJohn on Jun 4, 2025 11:57 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm too young to get the Hardaway comparison.

He’s just a name to me. Never saw him play.

Go Suns, Packers, Jays, and Huskers!

Green Bay Packers: Super Bowl XLV Champions!!!!

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by Omaha Sun on Jun 5, 2025 1:39 AM EDT up reply actions

whaaaaaaaat????

you have to check out his youtube-clips! he was one of best PGs in the early 90s, together with Kevin Johnson and Gary Payton (yes, i’m leaving out John Stockton on pupose).

5-time all-star, 1 NBA first team, 3 NBA second team, 1 NBA third team. posted a 23 ppg, 9.7 apg, 4 rpg, 2.6 spg in his second season for a winning (!) Warriors team. and he even raised those numbers in the playoffs…good old times.

by Dubbel on Jun 6, 2025 3:47 AM EDT up reply actions

Projections really don’t mean anything. The Knicks are most likely bringing in Selby, MBA and Jajuan Johnson with the intention of taking them at #17, especially Selby and Jajuan.

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by Rorschach44 on Jun 4, 2025 1:59 PM EDT reply actions