This is the year Kemba Walker becomes an All-Star

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While the Charlotte Hornets are no longer hosting the 2017 NBA All-Star weekend, they could very well have a representative in the main event.

Kemba Walker is primed to follow up his stellar 2015-16 campaign with an even better year, and perhaps earn his first All-Star nod. He emerged as Charlotte's leader, most important player, and catalyst in carrying the Hornets to 48 wins (tied for the third in the East) last season.

Despite altering a third of the roster over the summer, and the conference becoming better as a whole, there's a good chance Charlotte can stay in the playoff picture with head coach Steve Clifford and his trusty starting point guard running the show.

Related: 2016-17 Charlotte Hornets Season Preview

The speedy point man - who's known for his knack for driving to the basket and shooting mid-range jumpers - had more room to work with than he's used to last season, when Charlotte ran an offense featuring plenty of ball movement leading to clean 3-point looks.

With defenders chasing his teammates around the perimeter, Walker made his way to the rim, where he converted at a career-high rate of 59.8 percent.

He was central to the Hornets' ninth-ranked offense, boasting the highest usage rate on the team as a result of facilitating plays for his teammates while also creating for himself; 67.8 percent of the shots he made were unassisted.

And who can forget how clutch Walker was while starring at UConn? He still has it. He's among the league's best in scoring during tight contests with the clock winding down. The flashy former Husky is just as fun to watch making big shots down the stretch for Charlotte.

The 26-year-old added another dimension to his game by taking advantage of the outside looks as well, drilling them at a career-best clip of 37.1 percent. Armed with improved shot mechanics - courtesy of shooting coach Bruce Kreutzer - Kemba's much more confident letting 'em fly.

Percentage of Walker's shot attempts by distance from the basket (feet)

Walker led the Hornets with 20.9 points on a true shooting percentage of 55.4, to go along with 5.2 dimes, 4.4 boards, and 1.6 steals per game. He also posted a PER of 20.8 and was the runner-up in Most Improved Player voting.

Nicolas Batum, who joined the club via trade last summer, had a hand in that success, as the French small forward's playmaking took pressure off Walker and enabled him to play off the ball more.

The former ninth overall pick can continue his upward trajectory in his sixth campaign, especially if Batum and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist manage to stay healthy, as they're versatile at both ends of the court and help space the floor.

Walker fell short of being named a reserve on the East All-Star team last year, with Boston Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas getting the nod.

Here are their stats for comparison:

With the numbers being as similar as they were, it's safe to say team records factored into the decision. The Hornets were 27-26 heading into the All-Star break, while the Celtics started the campaign 32-23 before tailing off and finishing with 48 wins, too.

Entering 2016-17, Walker's gunning for an All-Star spot knowing full well his team needs to be competitive in order for him to have a shot.

The Hornets can help his cause by building off the momentum they gained from closing out the regular season with a 21-8 record and coming a win shy of advancing to the second round of the playoffs.

Since that Miami series, the organization has retained two of their top free agents in Batum and Marvin Williams, welcomed back a healthy Kidd-Gilchrist, and continued to foster the internal growth of young players like Frank Kaminsky.

Fully recovered from offseason knee surgery, Walker's looking to elevate his game (and his team) to new heights - All-Star heights.