Charlotte Hornets: Kemba Walker on the Outside Looking in of the MVP Race
After dropping in the NBA MVP Ladder last week, the Charlotte Hornets’ point guard regained his form but stayed on the outside of the top-10.
Sekou Smith’s weekly article on NBA.com ranks the top-10 players vying for the NBA MVP award. After dropping outside of the top-10 last week, Kemba Walker remained on the outside looking in of the top-10. He is the only Charlotte Hornets‘ player that could be considered in the running for the award so far this season.
In a bit of a surprise, the point guard did not move up the ladder and into the top-10 despite having an outstanding week. After missing a game in which his team lost their fourth straight game last week, Kemba led the Hornets to a 3-0 record this week. That wasn’t enough for Smith to move him up the ladder.
Walker put up 22 points per game, eight assists per game, and 6.3 rebounds per game in those three games. He also picked up two double-doubles and was just two rebounds short of a triple-double against the Los Angeles Lakers. Even though he’s on the outside looking in, Kemba has made a name for himself among the best in the league and his appearance on the MVP ladder is an example of just that.
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The top-eight remained unchanged as the Smith’s ladder read #1 James Harden, #2 Russell Westbrook, #3 LeBron James, #4 Kevin Durant, #5 Kawhi Leonard, #6 Stephen Curry, #7 DeMar DeRozan, and #8 Giannis Antetokounmpo. Marc Gasol moved from 10th to ninth and Chris Paul went from unranked to #10. With the Charlotte Hornets’ current run, Walker may move up the list if he continues to perform and lead his team to victories.
Jimmy Butler, Anthony Davis, Gordon Hayward, and Isaiah Thomas were each named just outside of the top-10 alongside Kemba. No order was given to these five players but Walker is sure to be close to cracking the top-10. He is a long way off the MVP award but he isn’t far off from being named to his first ever all-star game which is the goal for him this year.
Being in the running for such a prestigious award is another reason to cement Kemba’s all-star case. There should no longer be a discussion on whether or not Walker is an all-star as his play speaks for itself. The Hornets’ guard should be playing in New Orleans during the all-star weekend this season. He is also locking himself in the conversation among the top point guards in the NBA.
Keep a close eye on Kemba as he is taking on the likes of the Miami Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers during the four games this week. A crucial game against the defending champions on New Year’s Eve could be a potential win that is enough to lift Walker into the top-10. Either way, it’s going to be a fun as he’s been on a tear as of late.