The 11-Game Run That Immortalized Kemba Walker and the 2011 UConn Huskies

We have in the Bronx is pretty tough area has helped Shape me to be a pretty tough guy on the court as well But Kimber was a velvet sword by that I mean you cut you [you] stood feeling he didn't trash. Talk. He just played I'm not sure He's tall [enough] to ride the rides when he goes to Disneyland And he's the real thing I [kid] out of heart bigger anybody I can Throw not playing in the park. He's almost kicking up the court that was small People always say oh, he [can't] [do] his candy back and in this candidate. I'm just like why can't why can't? Take here. That's why it's called March Madness In 2010-11, [you] know I knew it would be a lot of my shoulders and [know] try and leave these freshmen and sophomores So we looked up to him. I barely thought Season started we wasn't [rank] everybody kind of felt disrespected Offseason wrote us off he went not sixty [eighteen] which was ridiculous no to fuel to the fire well uconn was coming off a very mediocre season and You know Kemba walker was a player who I won't say he underachieved his first couple [years] But he wasn't anything [real] [special]. He definitely had a chip on his shoulder from what the reporters saying about our team He was just extremely determined For our team to do something Would trickle down on all of us we got to number four in the country and then we got into Biggie's play and No things started to go a little downhill from there. We ended the season losing four out of five finished [nine] and the biggies First game and the big east tournament played the ball to start off at noon on Tuesday In Madison Square park. I mean, it's cavernous. It's empty little depressing early in the day we felt Disrespected a little bit from [Laya] Frontcourt [Left-wing] goes to the baseline [pitch] And that's game against, Georgetown. We just saw what point went out once again down late those guys [Walker] fantastic good He's gonna take the last shot. Don't went into my step back in [from] that point on. I mean you've seen it on the Walker stucky Goofball and then went in and pray I've never seen coach cal that excited. I was hilarious jumping up light there then [to] compose himself realize that he's changing do it him. It's a big moment. You've got history I turn to my sisters as we walked up [closer] We got some And you God wince again. [I] was fighting off the naysayers who kept saying you're gonna get [titan] you got to play Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday That's too much. [I] really felt that my kids were feeding on the idea that they have no idea who we are We're just getting better in this thing Kappa house to go I Gained Five Days five wins There was a broad consensus that uconn was spent they had shot all their bullets in New York that Yeah, maybe they could win a game or [two]. Maybe sneaking to the sweet 16, but nobody was looking at uconn saying there They go [now] We all felt like man if we can win the big east like that is no way These [teams] in the other conferences can beat us napier Little Show and go, haha [touch-free] [season] in the big [news] hey, we're not supposed to be this good [you] [guys] okay Cincinnati. Which is a really rough game Anyone to tie up guys we went for anybody on the baby sick Trust in his head. I'll tell you my backing Sweet 16 They doing a great job up until one jamaal Franklin [mont] me jamaal Franklin number 21 a little right shoulder. [bone]. You got to go to 50 intimidating he's a [-] New York City's invaded by too much on that one nolan. I was just in the different zone the Monster Ticker treated Wow, there Williams second half he came on I want to move Walker [Fadeaway], [oh] [the] time was going down No, got [all] [three] [behind] one of the guys drove and found [that] guy [Jamel] home from kiss hated three I felt The win on [my] fingers when it got past my hands And I [looked] back. I thought for sure it was good with his trip. I just remember the ball game. I'm like Man, it's my turn. I just like it's my turn how to feel that pain. I just knew that balls going I'm kind of will to the right left this for [the] win for the break we missed 24 no game over goes back to the final four I try to tell those guys you know just try to embrace it because it's a once-in-A-lifetime [opportunity] Who plays bigger than his size? He's not afraid he has a chip on his shoulder about who he is He was the guy that you had to really guard terrific play That's up For so hard those guys may run after [run] that game Just stuck with the game and pulled out a bigger possession here for the huskies tonight gives it up liggins The game and uconn has done it again It's time seven Madness He takes it inside the file. He's heading to the line it will be important [for] him to make one or two in this game It was a pretty rough first [happen] above the game that one rattles out Smith has he wait I mean obviously it wasn't a pretty game. You know both teams really defended well Getting a locker room and coach start throwing stuff good news clip 20 points. We just want the kind of pace We need to be playing and we just make a few adjustments and making tripe like quick Please upset we went out and we play like that play man That's a stolen lamb on his way Bendiga Space Rock lays up and it goes Win the Maui invitational they go 5 for 5 at the biggies 5 days and in the [six-game] [run] through I love it That was our 11th win, whole [season] man. It was just so surreal You see something [like] Kemba Walker and and what uconn did We don't forget that most time like 30 people become what they can be we did The year if somebody was that tell me we're going to play the first night the biggest friend of man going win that championship Yeah, I'll probably It was like a movie. Yeah. He's going back It was unbelievable

Channel: Bleacher Report

Views: 3,875,436

Keywords: bleacher report, br, kemba walker, university of connecticut basketball, uconn, uconn huskies, 2011 uconn huskies, jim calhoun, ncaa tournament, 2011 ncaa tournament, 2011 ncaa men's basketball championship, butler bulldogs basketball, march madness, uconn basketball, college basketball, final four

Id: ibEnGKlzUPw

Length: 10min 42sec (642 seconds)

Published: Wed Mar 30 2016

Reddit Comments

[u/[deleted]]

God that cross step back shot was filthy.

[u/the_sports_writer]

I loved watching that team. And later on too with Shabazz

[u/420Microbiologist]

I was a student for this and on campus for the 2014 Shabazz run. It was honestly the craziest environments I've ever been a part of. So much post-win rioting

I'm in Dublin tonight for the McGregor fight so I hope that this will be just as good.

[u/Trick2Gesus]

to this day that's still the most space I've ever seen created by a stepback

[u/brianxhopkins]

Kemba is my favorite college player of all time.

[u/[deleted]]

That run made me $200 since I got first in both of my NCAA tourney pools. Then I went back to losing easily every year.

[u/Limehulio]

I've loved this dude since that crazy run in college. I was so happy for him after getting an All-Star selection this year

[u/deadprezrepresentme]

This is one of my fondest memories in all my time watching basketball. Just one of those runs that felt magical and then he lived up to the hype with his career. Love Kemba!

[u/[deleted]]

U!