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Celtics alum Kemba Walker on the wear and tear of his NBA career

Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports

From the earliest days of his career as a high-level point guard at the University of Connecticut, Boston Celtics alumnus floor general Kemba Walker has never been shy about using his body with reckless abandon if it means stacking wins for his team.

But that competitive fire did his body no favors, and as the years piled up, so did the injuries. Speaking recently in an appearance on the “7 PM in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony & Kid Mero” podcast, Walker opened up about the toll those injuries took on him over the course of his playing career.

“I’ve been in so much pain for like 10 years, man,” said Kemba. “They say the average NBA career is what, like three, four years? And I did 12 years in the NBA.”

“I had a pretty solid career,” he added. “I wanted to stay part of the game, but I debated back and forth. Thought about taking a year off, but I know myself. I’m going to get lazy.”

“We’ve been hooping for years, and I’m tired of working out, man,” Walker continued, though his time in the NBA isn’t over — just making a leap to the other side of the clipboard.

“I’m joining the Hornets’ coaching staff,” he explained. “My role is going to be called player enhancement. I just want to pass the game down.”

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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