Five weeks into the NBA season, stars begin to distinguish themselves from the rest of the league. Players like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Anthony Davis are all expected to bring their best every time they step on the court. However, so far into this 2018-19 NBA season, one name has begun to stand out above the rest. Charlotte Hornets PG Kemba Walker. Walker is a player that gets both praise and hate.
We’ll analyze if Kemba is finally ready to be put into the “spotlight” among the best players in the league. Through factors such as scoring, win shares, and pure skill, we look to analyze if Kemba’s play is underrated, overrated, or just right in the spot he’s in.
Scoring
So far this season, Kemba is averaging 29.6 PPG. That’s first in the NBA. That average seems fitting considering the massive performances that he’s put up already this season. Walker’s season-highs in points came in games against the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers. The point totals from those games were 43 and 60 respectively. To put into more context how impressive these performances were, the Celtics came into the game with the best defensive rating in the league, while the 76ers came into the game with the 10th-best defensive rating.
Kemba also became only the sixth player in NBA history to follow a 60+ point performance with a 40+ point one. Outside of these games, Kemba currently is third in the league in total points. Some will say that despite all of Walker’s big offensive outbursts, he’s been “inconsistent.” To contradict that statement, in 16 games this season, the Hornets are 8-8, but Walker has scored 30+ in seven games. A few off games against the Sixers and Cavaliers don’t erase the fact that Kemba is one of the best offensive talents in the league.
Although this season (so far) has been a career year for Kemba Walker, it shouldn’t be disregarded that Kemba has been proven to be a great scorer. His PPG total has gone up each year. In addition, Walker (including this season) has four straight seasons of 20+ PPG. Kemba’s clearly a proven baller, but is the failure to translate these big performances into wins holding him back from being a true star?
Offensive vs Defensive Ratings
You can always measure how much impact one player has on their team’s success by the win shares they have. Their overall offensive and defensive rating provide context as well. With Kemba Walker, this has often been an area of concern. Offensive real-plus-minus (ORPM) measures the impact a player has on a team’s total offensive performance. Walker’s number in this category is 5.88 (third among point guards). This is a given, due to these exceptional performances.
Defensive real-plus-minus (DRPM) is a stat that reflects a player’s impact on their team’s defensive performance. Basketball is a two-way game where offense and defense must be played in order to reach success. Kemba Walker has a DRPM of -1.56. This defense total ranks 76th among just point guards. What that number translates to is when Kemba Walker is on the floor, the Hornets are not a very good defensive team. This falls onto Walker as their top player.
This doesn’t reflect the “great” player Walker is in terms of other point guards. Players such as Chris Paul, Kyrie Irving, James Harden, Kyle Lowry, Ben Simmons, and Marcus Smart (who ranks first), all rank among the best point guards in regards to their defensive real-plus-minus. He’s a great offensive talent yes, but this is something that limits Kemba Walker as a player.
Top Point Guard?
The top-10 point guards were ranked by our very own TPR. On this list were the obvious names such as Steph Curry, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, Damian Lillard, John Wall, Ben Simmons, and Kyrie Irving. With those seven names having their status in the league solidified, that left three spots up for the taking. None of which were occupied by Kemba Walker.
Jamal Murray, Kyle Lowry, and Dejounte Murray made the list ahead of Walker for a multitude of reasons. Considering both last season and this season, all the point guards mentioned above are point guards that have led their teams in one way or another. Some such as Dejounte Murray and Jamal Murray may not be the purified scorer Walker is, but they make up for it with excellent ball distribution as well as lock-down defense. Dejounte Murray’s Third-Team All-NBA nod last season was a clear testament to that.
Along with the top guys on this list, Kemba Walker can put the ball in the hoop at an exceptional rate. What separates him for the top pack is the fact that he doesn’t translate his performances into wins. The star that Walker is, he’s only been to the playoffs in two of his seven full seasons. However, considering individual skill, Kemba’s without a doubt one of the top-10 point guards in the league today.
Conclusion
One can easily say that Kemba’s on a bad team, or that he doesn’t have enough pieces around him. However, it’s much deeper than that. Some may say that Kemba is a pure-scorer who, at the moment, is as dominant as any player in the league. Despite his flaws, Kemba Walker IS underrated, and he IS a top-10 point guard (sorry TPR). Yes, it’s still “early” in the season. Kemba Walker is steadily establishing himself as both a top player in the league and an MVP candidate. Let me know how you feel about Kemba Walker below and/or through social media.