Jazz Officially Sign Rookie Walker Kessler
Jul 9, 2022, 2:53 PM | Updated: 3:03 pm
Utah Jazz rookie center Walker Kessler (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)
(Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz announced the signing of rookie Walker Kessler on Saturday.
Kessler, selected with the 22nd pick of June’s NBA Draft, was one of five players sent to the Jazz from the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for three-time All-Star Rudy Gobert.
In addition to Kessler, the Jazz are acquiring Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Balmaro, and four future first-round picks.
Welcome to Utah, @WalkerKessler13!#TakeNote https://t.co/0breodNNdk pic.twitter.com/n6qZBFyEuv
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) July 9, 2022
What Are Jazz Getting In Walker Kessler?
Kessler was one of the top recruits in the country coming out of high school and committed to the University of North Carolina in the summer of 2020. After seeing limited minutes with the Tar Heels as a freshman, the center transferred to Auburn and quickly blossomed in Bruce Pearl’s system.
Kessler averaged 11.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, and a staggering 4.6 blocks as a sophomore while shooting 60 percent from the floor in just 25 minutes per game.
At 7-foot-1, Kessler has legit NBA size for a center to go along with a 9-foot-5 standing reach.
The Auburn product is a solid athlete who runs the floor easily in transition and moves quickly nearly the hoop to rack up blocked shots both as a primary and help defender. Kessler played exceptionally large at Auburn where he blocked shots with both hands by eliminating any pathway for the ball to the hoop.
The newest @utahjazz center had a solid resume in college. https://t.co/zNyRFT4qW2
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) July 1, 2022
Offensively, Kessler knocked down a Gobert-esque 70 percent of his two-point field goal attempts as a sophomore thanks to his long arms, soft touch near the rim, and willingness to finish on top of the rim.
The rookie will enter the NBA with better feel as a scorer near the rim than Jazz fans have seen in recent years, though his dunking numbers won’t resemble Gobert.
Kessler shot the ball well in high school from the perimeter, but it never materialized in college, and will likely be a deciding factor on whether he will be a starter or a reserve big man during his NBA career.
Defensively he’ll likely be used in drop coverage but will have to improve his agility and footspeed to defend on the perimeter.
Kessler will embarrass smaller players who try to beat him to the rim as he did in college, but will struggle with players who have an ability to shoot off the dribble beyond the three-point line.
Walker Kessler gets his SEVENTH block for the Tigers 🚫#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/QvlhU8Zw5L
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 18, 2022
His rebounding numbers at Auburn were solid but were largely due to his enormous size compared to the competition.
Kessler’s work on the glass had less to do with his ability to sniff out the ball and box out other players than it did his superior frame.
Despite signing with the Jazz on Saturday, he was not included on the team’s Las Vegas Summer League roster.
Updated @utahjazz Las Vegas Summer league roster.
Some notables, Walker Kessler is NOT on the roster while Leandro Bolmaro is.
Also, former BYU forward Yoeli Childs never made it onto the roster in Vegas or Salt Lake. pic.twitter.com/WRyjkdZgGg
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) July 9, 2022
Ultimately, Kessler’s overwhelming production as a shot-blocker and his true seven-foot frame make him a relatively safe bet to end up as a rotation-level center in the NBA. How he develops offensively, especially as a jump shooter will determine exactly how high his ceiling can be.
