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Bobby Krivitsky: I asked Charles Lee about Kemba Walker’s growth as a coach since he first joined his staff: “I think he's finding his voice a lot more. How to be assertive during drills. He's had a player the last couple years too, and so he's had to figure out what's the best way to bring this player along. “I think that he's easily able to talk to them about his experience and how the season's a journey and it's a long grind and how to stay ready, and how to work hard, and that just comes natural to him. “But I think some of the pieces of having to exactly go like run a drill and tell the coaches to do this, and try to come up with these situations, like trying to find his creative voice within practices and drills, has been something that I've really seen him grow. “And I actually feel like he's having fun trying to figure out those new challenges.”
Can a league restrict opportunities for a business to engage in sponsorship and endorsement negotiations with a team and a player on that team? This is a dicey topic, because there are businesses that enter into contracts with teams and players on those teams, and the inability to continue doing so could raise antitrust law, labor law, intellectual property law, freedom-of-contract and other legal problems. Forget the Clippers and Leonard for a moment. Consider when Michael Jordan owned the Charlotte Hornets. Several Hornets players, including Kemba Walker and Cody Zeller, had endorsement deals with Jordan Brand, the Nike-owned company closely associated with Jordan. That might have seemed like a conflict of interest, but it broke no NBA rules.
Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets continues to make his case to be the 2025-26 NBA Rookie of the Year. Knueppel, who has played a key role in helping the Hornets secure a postseason spot, scored 20 points and went 4-of-9 from the 3-point line in 33 minutes as the Hornets beat the Phoenix Suns 127-107 on April 2. The rookie also added his name to the Hornets’ history books, setting a new franchise record for the most 3-pointers made in a single season with 261. Kemba Walker had set the record with 260 during the 2018-19 season. Knueppel’s teammate LaMelo Ball also reached the top five for the franchise, with 243 3-pointers made this season, tying Jason Richardson (2007-08).
Against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday, Knueppel made history by surpassing Kemba Walker in the Charlotte Hornets' all-time record for three-pointers made in a single season. A trifecta from the wing during the 8:26 mark of the fourth quarter for the Hornets officially allowed Knueppel to sit atop the Hornets' three-point leaderboard. Knueppel breaks the 260 treys made by Walker during the 2018-19 season.
Will Eudy: Just left from Hornets shootaround. Hornets are retiring Dell Curry’s jersey tonight, and I asked Miles Bridges about being part of an organization that honors their legends. “I love being here, and I see why guys like being here in Charlotte … For them to honor the legends like that, it’s a good thing, and this man gone be next (points at Kemba Walker).”
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Sam Perley: Brandon Miller has set a @hornets' franchise record with 54 consecutive made free throws, breaking Kemba Walker's mark of 53 (March 2018). Miller missed the next FTA, so the streak is over.
When Donnell Beverly Jr. decided to launch end-of-life planning startup Eazewell after the loss of both of his parents, he knew exactly who to call to help launch the business: longtime friend, and nine-time NBA All-Star, Russell Westbrook. “The main thesis with Russ across every business that he touches is how do we impact people?” Beverly Jr. [pictured above] told TechCrunch. “He’s been very vocal about that throughout his career. I always say we really took personal pain and then created a platform to really help people.” Westbrook was in. Four-time NBA All-Star Kemba Walker also joined, and the trio launched Eazewell. Eazewell is an AI-driven platform that helps families navigate and automate the administrative aspects of end-of-life and funeral planning. The startup’s AI agent gives people a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week resource and helps users with everything from finding and booking a funeral home to canceling credit card accounts for a deceased person.
Earlier this month, Marissa—an R&B singer and jewelry designer—married Kemba Walker, a four-time NBA All-Star and current coach for the Charlotte Hornets, at the Conservatory at Blackberry Ridge in Trenton, Georgia. Getting married in Georgia held special significance for the couple—most of Marissa’s family lives there, and it’s just a short trip from Kemba’s relatives in North Carolina. “It just made sense to bring everyone together in a place that was both meaningful and convenient,” the bride says. The rehearsal dinner, ceremony, and reception all took place on the property. “Our top priority was the atmosphere and aesthetic—we wanted a space that felt beautiful, unique, and aligned with our vision for the day,” Marissa explains. “Size was also a major factor, since we knew we’d be hosting a large group of guests and wanted everyone to feel comfortable.”
Kemba collaborated with longtime friend and designer Tom Paolini—who’s been tailoring his suits for over a decade—to create his wedding day look. “I knew he was the perfect person to bring my vision to life,” Kemba says. “I sent him a bunch of inspiration photos, and he took it from there—delivering exactly what I had imagined.” The result was a timeless, double-breasted suit with a flared bottom that Kemba describes as “flawless.” He adds, “What I loved most was the fit: a classic cut!” Paolini also surprised him with a second custom look for the reception, based on more inspiration Kemba had shared. “Once again, he absolutely nailed it.”
When R&B singer #Marissa and four-time NBA All-Star #KembaWalker got married earlier this July, they chose the Conservatory at Blackberry Ridge in Trenton, Georgia, as their venue. Getting married in Georgia held special significance for the couple—most of Marissa’s family lives there, and it’s just a short trip from Kemba’s relatives in North Carolina. As such, the rehearsal dinner, ceremony, and reception all took place on the property.
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National Basketball Association superstar Russell Westbrook is taking a shot off the court at simplifying funeral planning with artificial intelligence. The famed Denver Nuggets point guard on Wednesday announced the launch of Eazewell, a startup that uses AI technology to streamline the process for coordinating funerals. Westbrook founded the venture with former Charlotte Hornets star Kemba Walker and childhood friend Donnell Beverly Jr., who serves as president of Russell Westbrook Enterprises and CEO and co-founder of Eazewell.
Chris Haynes: Four-time NBA All-Star point guard Kemba Walker has reached an agreement to play for @IceCube ’s @TheBig3 for the 2025 season, league sources tell me.
"We think this is going to be the best practice facility in the league," Hornets co-owner Rick Schnall said. "It's going to have facilities that free agents will want to come and play with us, our players will want to stay and be here, and we'll be able to develop our players into stars over time." Among those on hand for the ceremony were former Hornets players Muggsy Bogues and Kemba Walker, the franchise's all-time leading scorer. Several current players including LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller also attended.