Kemba Walker grateful for All-Star starter status granted by peers

All-NBA Boston Celtics point guard Kemba Walker is officially an All-Star starter because of the player vote, and the Bronx native is thankful for it.

It’s no secret that Boston Celtics point guard Kemba Walker is respected by his peers in the NBA, but the tangible proof provided by the returns from 2020 NBA All-Star voting still meant quite a bit to the UConn product.

The Bronx native was recently named a starter in the midseason exhibition — the first such honor of his career — despite coming in third in fan voting, the love shown him by media voters and particularly the player vote pushing him into starter territory.

All-Star voting for the starter positions is split between those three groups, with fans getting half the available votes, and the rest split evenly between media and players.

Reserves are chosen by NBA coaches, and replacements by commissioner Adam Silver when needed.

For Walker, though, it was the player vote that meant the most.

“It means a lot,” offered the former Husky (courtesy of the Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach.)

“To me personally, there’s nothing more than the respect of the guys you play against every night. I have to thank those guys of course for voting me in. I saw that I was first for the players and media, so thanks to those guys.”

After seeing he was trailing the Atlanta Hawks’ Trae Young and former Celtic (and current Brooklyn Net) Kyrie Irving in the early returns, Walker didn’t pay much attention to voting, assuming he’d end up coming out among the reserves.

But to hear news media and his peers were enough to get him starter honors was especially gratifying to the 29-year-old.

“It’s exciting,” he explained. “I’ve come a long way, so it’s a special honor to be able to start among the best players in the world. To be named a starter, it’s an unbelievable accomplishment. So, it’s cool.”

Cool enough to put the team on his back against the Orlando Magic with a 37-point performance while both All-Star reserve hopefuls Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum sat recuperating from non-serious injury.

There’s a good chance at least one will join Walker in Chicago for the event, with results to be revealed Thursday. And it’s not impossible that both — or neither — could get a nod.

“Jaylen and Jayson are both very deserving,” offered head coach Brad Stevens. “And at the same time, as I’ve told them many times, it’s not about being named an All-Star, because that’s very subjective. It’s about playing like one.”

With some short exceptions, both have been this season. But with many other excellent candidates competing with them in one of the strongest East seasons in years, the risk of being passed over is not a small one.

For Brown, it’s just an honor to be considered.

“I think it’s dope … especially coming off a season like last year, being in the mix is a win for sure.”

“For me, it’s just continue to get better, continue to play the right way, and everything else will take care of itself,” he added.

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