The Charlotte Bobcats now have one of the team's two 2011 lottery picks under contract after coming to terms with point guard Kemba Walker on Sunday.
The 9th overall selection in the June draft, Walker averaged 23.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg and 4.5 apg, while helping the Connecticut Huskies capture a national championship in 2010-11. He was also named the Final Four's most outstanding player and was a consensus first-team All-American selection.
According to a release by the team, the signing of his rookie deal with allow the 6-foot-1 Walker to take part in the Bobcats' practice on Sunday. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not released.
Up next for Charlotte is getting its other first-round pick, Congolese forward-center Bismack Biyombo, under contract.
Drafted 7th overall, Biyombo and his former Spanish ACB team, Fuenlabrada, are currently suing one another. Fuenlabrada claims that the 6-foot-9 forward is still under contract for two seasons and has a buyout of approximately $1.4 million.
Biyombo and his agent, Joel Bell, have contended that the player is, in fact, free of obligation because Fuenlabrada is "in breach of contract."
The two sides are scheduled to go before a mediator at a civil trial in Spain on December 19th.
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© 2011 Neal J. Leitereg -- All Rights Reserved
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