Kemba Walker’s stay in the NBA bubble helps him recall some bygone days.
The Boston Celtics point guard admitted to Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks on Wednesday life on the NBA’s Orlando, Fla., campus reminds him of trips to AAU tournaments he used to take. Walker used a story about his recent encounter with Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James to illustrate how NBA players now cross paths on their downtime, just as they might have during basketball camps or travel tournaments.
“Whenever you go downstairs, you’re going to see somebody,” Walker said. “Like, the other night, me and JT (Celtics forward Jayson Tatum) were walking to get some food and we saw ‘Bron. We saw ‘Bron, J.R. (Smith), Jared Dudley and Kuz (Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma).
“It’s rare — very rare — to see LeBron walking by himself and being comfortable. Like, I was telling somebody that he probably hasn’t done that since he was nine years old, being able to be so comfortable. Just walking around and not worrying about people coming up to him and being bothered asking for something. Now he’s just regular, you know? Not regular — but he’s able to be comfortable and walk around comfortably. I think that’s pretty cool.”
Kemba Walker speaks on the experience being around players like Bron in the NBA bubble. @TaylorRooks pic.twitter.com/ccFMdvsS3g
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 16, 2020
The Celtics have been practicing in Orlando for over one week since their arrival in Central Florida. Walker has been continuing his rehabilitation from a knee injury that has bothered him for months.
Boston, currently the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference, will begin its NBA seeding-round games July 31 against the Milwaukee Bucks. Once the game tips off, life for Walker and other NBA players will become a little more normal.
