It’s not uncommon at Media Day at the NBA All-Star game for participants to get some unusual questions, and for Boston Celtics starting point guard Kemba Walker, this year was no exception.
But some questions were inevitable, given the pall the loss of Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant’s accidental death still casts over the league and event.
It began when the UConn product was asked what was the first thing that comes to mind regarding what Walker learned from Bryant.
“Like I’ve been saying, just his work ethic, second to none,” offered the Bronx native.
“He was a very, very, very hard worker, and you could tell,” added Walker. “Fourth quarter came, I feel like everybody else is always tired, and Kobe wasn’t, you feel me? Yeah, he was a special guy.”
Other questions were less serious, such as where to find the best bacon, egg and cheese sandwich, which Walker had little trouble answering. “No question. It’s definitely in the Bronx. Any corner store you go to in the Bronx is the best for sure.”
The starting 5️⃣for #TeamGiannis 💪
⭐️ Giannis Antetokounmpo
⭐️ Joel Embiid
⭐️ Pascal Siakam
⭐️ Kemba Walker
⭐️ Trae Young pic.twitter.com/pXgQ7B62iH— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 7, 2020
Favorite nickname? “EZ Pass”. Different playing for a new franchise in the All-Star Game? “Not really,” he began. “I don’t know if it’s something you get used to, but … it’s the same format, just a different team.”
Presumably, Walker was referring to the process of getting selected, or perhaps the newer format of forming the teams through a draft, since he’ll be taking part in a very new format designed to commemorate the life of Kobe Bryant Sunday evening.
Kobe’s memory remained front and center even in the mostly light-hearted interviews Saturday, Walker’s included.
Asked what the weekend was going to be like, the former Husky closed out his media availability with a reminder the wider NBA community wasn’t just mourning Bryant but also former Commissioner David Stern.
The architect of the NBA passed in January after a cerebral hemorrhage suffered in December.
“Very emotional, of course,” said Walker. “Of course with the tragic death of Kobe and Gigi and the rest of the families.”
“David Stern [too], it’s definitely going to be a very emotional weekend, and we’re going to celebrate those guys and everyone else as best as we can. They meant so much to our game. They grew the game so much.”
“We all just have a lot of respect for them,” he closed.
Walker and Celtics teammate Jayson Tatum will celebrate those memories Sunday evening in the All-Star Game — albeit on different teams — in that aforementioned new format to honor the Laker legend.
Kemba Walker on advice he got from Kobe Bryant pic.twitter.com/X2eK75xBXq
— The Crossover (@TheCrossover) February 15, 2020
It will be a big departure from previous iterations of the midseason friendly, and will likely draw a fair number of eyeballs to see how the new format actually works as much as to honor Stern and Bryant.
Whether the format flops or not, the nod to the twin giants lost by the NBA community this year is an excellent way to memorialize the duo, the All-Star game’s Most Value Player trophy having been revealed to being named for Kobe as an additional touch.
And whichever team wins the contest — Team LeBron or Team Giannis — they probably won’t be asking them about breakfast sandwiches.
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