Kemba Walker believed three years ago, believed he could come all the way from the Soundview section of The Bronx to lead the UConn Huskies all the way to a national championship.
He is beginning to believe again.
“I love it, man. … They’re playing UConn basketball right now,” Walker told The Post. “They’re fighting, they’re doing anything possible to win a basketball game, and that’s how you win.”
From afar, from his NBA home with the Charlotte Bobcats, he can hear what the Garden will sound like when Husky Nation fills the Garden Friday night against Iowa State for a berth in the Elite 8.
“I’m excited that the whole Husky Nation is going to have the opportunity to go down there,” Walker said. “It’s kind of going to be like a home game for those guys. It’s going to be a lot of Husky fans there.”
Walker was a swaggerlicious 6-foot-1 guard who passed the baton to Shabazz Napier, and is proud of his successor.
“Shabazz is a magic born leader,” Kemba said. “He works really hard to get better every day, and you can see that. From his freshman year to now, man, he’s a much-improved player. You can tell by the way he’s carrying his team right now, the team is not that great overall, he has young guys, and he’s doing a great job just leading those guys.”
Walker recalled how Jim Calhoun raged at Napier at halftime of the NCAA championship against Butler.
“We weren’t playing so great, and Coach Calhoun kind of got into Shabazz a little bit, and the way he came out in that second half and responded, it was a cool thing to watch. Coach Calhoun, during that time, he hadn’t really got into anyone the way he got into Shabazz that day, and it was kind of cool to see how Shabazz reacted. He didn’t get down, he got better. He sparked us in that second half, and that was why we were able to go on and win that championship game.”
Walker raved about Coach Kevin Ollie.
“Coach Ollie’s great, man. … He’s a very positive guy, very motivational. … He gets guys ready to play,” Walker said. “I can definitely say that he’s helped me take my game to a whole other level while he was there. He’s the best person you could bring in after Coach Calhoun so, I’m happy for him and what he’s doing with the team.”
Walker chuckled when asked if he was surprised by reports Calhoun has the itch to coach again.
“I’m not surprised at all, man, the guy’s a winner, he’s a competitor. He loves the game, he loves the kids, he loves bringing young boys in and helping them leave as men,” Walker said. “Nah, I’m not surprised at all. I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner, honestly.”
Walker was asked how he would sum up the difference between Ollie and Calhoun.
“It’s kind of tough, I don’t really know Coach Ollie as a head coach just watching,” Walker said. “But I can tell that a lot of his ways, a lot of his coaching, comes from Coach Calhoun. I can tell that he gets those guys ready to play each and every night just as Coach Calhoun did us. I think he’s a lot like Coach Calhoun, actually.”
Walker’s indomitable will to win, his refusal to give in to exhaustion, will be etched forever in Husky lore. But when asked for his favorite memories of his Final Four run, he says: “Just the growth of my teammates. I had a lot of young guys. A lot of people didn’t expect us to go as far as we did, especially because of the way we ended our Big East season. Man, just the way those guys grew up so fast in the postseason, that was probably the best time.”
The five games in five days marathon that lit up the Garden and ended in an improbable Big East championship that shocked the world was nothing short of magical.
“Yeah, that’s what I mean,” Walker said. “It was unbelievable, the kind of basketball we played. We just played so hard, and we did anything possible to win those games.”
Finally, cutting down the nets inside Reliant Stadium.
“It’s emotional,” Walker said. “To be playing the last game of the year … you don’t get those opportunities a lot. …. It’s kind of hard to describe.”
Walker (17.8 ppg, 5.8 assists) is having a ball these days. How’s NBA life?
“It’s great,” Walker said. “Especially this year, my team is doing better this year, and it’s fun.”
Walker won’t be able to watch Friday night because the Bobcats will be at Orlando.
“If they advance to Sunday yes, I definitely will,” he said.