Bronx-born UConn basketball star Kemba Walker received a call from New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg after his team won the national championship Monday night. The politician congratulated him, offered him tickets to a Knicks game and gave a little advice: He encouraged the NCAA tournament's Most Outstanding Player to stay true to his roots in the Soundview section of the Bronx.
Bloomberg expressed confidence that Walker, who led his team to the Big East Tournament title before winning the NCCA championship Monday night, has a shot at the NBA.
"The mayor also told me to remember that as I have success, you should remember where you came from and try to give back to the community," Walker said.
But it sounds as if Walker wasn't lacking any sense of connection to the city: "I really felt like New York was behind me during this, and I was glad that we gave them something to root for," he told the Daily News. "I'm a New York guy, and it's good when the New York fans are involved, because they're real passionate."
Hopefully he'll remain concerned with the well-being of the community where he grew up, and the mayor — who's actually paid a salary to do so — will, too.
Read more at the New York Daily News.
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