One thing the Boston Celtics struggled with last year was chemistry. But this year, things are looking brighter. And part of that is thanks to the addition of Kemba Walker.
The former Charlotte Hornets point guard is widely considered to be a great teammate and he is getting a chance to bond with some of his new Celtics teammates early. Walker is among the four Celtics in the Team USA Basketball Camp ahead of the 2019 FIBA World Cup. And so far during camp, the quartet of Walker, Marcus Smart, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown have developed some chemistry, as Walker confirmed in a recent interview captured by ESPN.
"No question," Walker said when asked whether or not he is developing chemistry with his Celtics teammates. "Those are some good dudes right there. I already had a chance to spend time with JT. Me and Jaylen spent some time a few years ago in Africa, so we already knew each other a little bit, but Smart -- they’re just easy guys to get along with. I’m an easy guy to get along with. So, it’s been like we knew each other for a while at this point. But you know, we’re getting comfortable. I’m getting comfortable for the most part each and every day with those guys."
This is certainly refreshing for Celtics fans who watched a disjointed team attempt to play together for the entirety of the 2018-19 campaign. That underachieving team was dismantled this offseason, as Kyrie Irving, Al Horford, and Marcus Morris were allowed to walk in free agency.
Meanwhile, the Celtics' free agency emphasized finding humble, hard-working players in hopes of improving their chemistry. The addition of Walker was geared towards that mission and the early returns even before the preseason appear to be solid.
We'll soon see if this chemistry can carry over onto the court as Team USA training camp goes along. And once the NBA preseason begins, we'll really get a good look at Walker's chemistry with Boston's key young stars.
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