Kemba Walker leaving NBA to play overseas

Dec 18, 2021; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Knicks guard Kemba Walker (8) during the first half against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Kemba Walker’s NBA career is over, at least for now.

The veteran guard has agreed to a contract with AS Monaco of EuroLeague, the team confirmed on Friday. The team said the signing was being made for the upcoming season.

ᴋᴇᴍʙᴀ ᴡᴀʟᴋᴇʀ ᴇsᴛ ᴍᴏɴéɢᴀsǫᴜᴇ 🔴⚪️

✍️ L'AS Monaco est heureuse d'annoncer la signature pour la saison à venir du meneur américain 🇺🇸

4️⃣ fois All-Star 🌟 le meilleur marqueur de l'histoire des Charlotte Hornets (12 009 points) a disputé 750 matchs en NBA 🔛

🚀… pic.twitter.com/FYFX1ionHh
— AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) July 21, 2023

The 33-year-old Walker has seen his NBA career decline in recent years due to knee problems. He was limited to just nine games last season with the Dallas Mavericks as he struggled to catch on with a team. That did not seem likely to change this offseason, though one star seemingly wanted to play with him after the Mavericks cut him in January.

If Walker never returns to the NBA, he will depart with a career average of 19.3 points per game and four All-Star appearances. He was at his best with the Charlotte Hornets, where he averaged a career-high 25.6 points per game in 2018-19.