Kemba Walker on extension with Hornets: 'I want to keep us good'

Already in his young NBA career, Charlotte Hornets point guard Kemba Walker has experienced some serious peaks and valleys. 

Three years ago, as a rookie, Walker's then-Bobcats went 7-59. By winning percentage, it was the worst season in NBA history. Two years later, on the shoulders of a maturing Walker and imported post-up assassin Al Jefferson, the Bobcats won 43 games and made the playoffs for just the second time in their 10-year history. 

Now, after a productive offseason in which they added a volatile but hugely talented wing in Lance Stephenson and a steady, versatile forward in Marvin Williams, the rebranded Hornets are aiming even higher. The team's front office proved as much on Tuesday when they inked Walker - who would've been an unrestricted free agent at season's end - to a four-year, $48-million extension.

"Now that we're a good team, I want to keep us good," Walker said at a news conference on Thursday. "I want to be in the middle of that."

Twenty-four hours after agreeing to the extension, Walker commenced his quest to earn it. He played hero in the Hornets' home opener Wednesday night, rallying his troops from a 24-point, third-quarter deficit to a 108-106 overtime victory over the Milwaukee Bucks - the biggest comeback in franchise history. He splashed a game-tying 3-pointer with one second left in regulation, then a game-winning pull-up two with five seconds left in overtime. He finished with 26 points and six assists. 

"It's been unbelievable," Walker said of the past few days. 

"From day one we weren't so good and you see us now," Walker added. "Everyone is talking about us and we come into the season with high expectations. A few years ago it wasn't like that. I'm happy to say I've been a part of this whole rebuilding process."