Kessler was a good post-up defender in college, which will need to translate for him to fully hit his defensive upside. Kessler is emerging as a big time center prospect who contributes on both ends of the floor. Pulled some clips of him handling in transition in open space. Maybe even the weather. 3PT . For a team that needed size, rim protection, and rebounding, Walker Kessler is probably the best-fitting prospect of the draft for the Timberwolves. 4.6 blocks per game and 10 blocks per 100 possessions, Stats: 11.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.6 blocks, 61 percent from the field, 20 percent from three, 60 percent from the line. Agents Drew Rosenhaus and Ryan Matha . This is a great stat when scouting back-up point guards who may be in line for increased playing time. Hes the only player in the basketball-reference database to post a block rate of 19% or over while playing more than 400 minutes in a season. He barely registered at North Carolina his freshman season but broke out last year at Auburn, averaging 11.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.6 blocks per game during the regular season. Walker Kessler had several clutch plays late and stuffed the stat sheet on Thursday to help lead the Utah Jazz to an overtime win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.. Kessler produced seven points, 18 rebounds, seven blocked shots and two assists in 37 minutes of work in the 120-119 victory. Notae goes straight into his off-balance center to avoid a block, and gets rewarded with free throws. Follow your favorite teams and leagues for in-depth analysis and expert coverage from the best newsroom in sports. Listed at 6'10" and 225 pounds, Kessler fits squarely into the mold of a modern-day big man who is capable of scoring away from the basket. Rotowire Feb 26, 2023. His timing and patience on most plays are what made him one of the best defenders in all of college basketball last season. See terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. He shows flashes of switchability onto the perimeter, good ground coverage from the weak side and a comfort level that very few his size have away from the hoop. with 7-footer Walker Kessler's 4.6 blocks per game leading the nation among Power 5 schools.) Despite the prolific season, Kessler certainly has a lot of areas to clean up on that end of the floor. Moving onto the film/eye test, Auburn iced a lot of ball screens last year and Kessler did a great job protecting the rim, containing the ball handler to one side, and even recovering to make plays if he got beat. Strengths: Has excellent size for the position at 7'1", 245 pounds. Pos. He should be an elite rim protector at the next level. The oddsmakers there have his line at 24.5, with even -110 odds of him either being picked before or after No. Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Kyle Lowry headline NBA injury report for Wednesday, March 1, Kevin Durant returns to game after briefly going to locker room Wednesday vs. Hornets, Pick against the spread, over/under for 76ers vs. Heat on Wednesday, Senators acquire D Jakob Chychrun from Coyotes. Kessler's length, mobility, and rim protection give him a unique skill set, allowing him to provide great impact on an NBA floor. Offensively, Kessler is an efficient finisher near the rim who converted on 30 of 32 pick-and-roll attempts diving to the hoop, according to Synergy Sports Tech. Tipico Sportsbook gets exact with Kessler's draft position. Pro Comparison: Brook Lopez. As a result, he was named the 2022 Naismith Mens Defensive Player of the Year in college basketball. Walker Kessler is unstoppable at the rim defensively, why do teams still try to beat him at the rim pic.twitter.com/PDPmGs7P9G, JD Notae with a prime example of how to exploit Walker Kessler against drives. Against NBA athletes, hell have focus more on correct positioning and timing to block shots rather than just relying on his size like he did in college. 1 hour ago. The 2022 NBA Draft order has been set and the list of eligible players is officially locked in. North Carolina has set itself up for success for years to come with this incoming 2020 recruiting class. Kessler also has a knack for the boards, as he averaged 8.1 rebounds per game during his final season at Auburn and 12.6 rebounds per 40 minutes. Moreover, the NCAA Tournament exposed some issues with projecting his movement in space at the next level. Do you find this scouting report inaccurate/outdated? News: 2 days ago Kessler finished with nine points (4-6 FG, 1-2 FT), 12 rebounds, two assists, five blocks and one steal across 27 minutes during Saturday's 118-102 win over the Spurs.. Later in the mock draft, Auburn's Walker Kessler is selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the 18th overall selection. Kessler's uncle, the late Alec Kessler, also played for Georgia before being drafted in the ninth round by Houston in the 1990 draft. 647. It's clear Kessler is a significantly better player now than he was at the beginning of the season. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OwHdCZf1ux4W89uR8A6Z8KgkShYyl1LkZheQi4heO1A/edit?usp=sharingMusic credits:Mi-Lo by Smith The Mister https://smiththemister.bandcamp.comSmith The Mister https://bit.ly/Smith-The-Mister-YTFree Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/mi-loMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/--4tHbTT97g Update Kessler will head to the Timberwolves, who traded for the No. He boxes out well, competes hard on the glass, and uses his length to grab a ton of boards. If youre into analytics, Kessler had the highest block percentage of all time since 2009-10 at 19.05% (CBB Reference). That may cause spacing issues if hes used in lineups with Giannis Antetokounmpo in the early stages of his career. Theres better, more realistic, upside plays for big man in the draft. during the 2021 NBA Playoffs. Void in ONT. Hes got a nice touch around the rim and from mid range and should continue to expand his range over the next few years. He also collected first-team and Defensive Player of the Year accolades in the SEC. Here's the scouting report for Kessler from 247Sports . Kessler, just like Lopez, could be a monster defender for the Bucks. Walker Kessler is the best rim protector in the entire draft, and one of the best prospects as a shot . Walker Kessler out of Auburn is someone who they might be interested in turning into the next Brook Lopez. Here is an analysis of his strengths and weaknesses and whether or not I believe he can fill that role. He does foul a lot, registering 6.1 fouls per 100 possessions over the course of his college career. In a league where most players have mastered playing around length, Kessler will need to iron that out quickly. He is particularly good finishing as a roll man in the pick-and-roll, where he made an incredible 94 percent of his shots rolling to the basket, ranking in the 99th percentile. Overview; . Contact us here: hoopshype@hoopshype.com, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Fantasy. Walker Kessler's father, Chad, played basketball at Georgia. His arms come down to swat at shots, which create fouls when he misses the ball, and he jumps forward while his arms are straight up, defeating the purpose of verticality altogether. Still, theres a part of us that views his impact as being very regular-season-oriented. Fantastic size and length help him make his huge defensive impact . Best Case Scenario: Works his way into a starting role anchoring a great playoff-team defense. Good rim protector. Walker Kessler's 2023 draft profile. He has a big impact on the defensive end thanks to his great size and good defensive instincts. HometownFairburn, GA Class2020. Mar 11, 2022; Tampa, FL, USA; Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports, Mar 18, 2022; Greenville, SC, USA: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports. Verticality is well-taught and drilled into his brain: he jumps straight up and is constantly trying to leap off the floor in that manner. Miami attacked him endlessly in their 5-out scheme, mirroring the attack the Los Angeles Clippers deployed against Rudy Gobert during the 2021 NBA Playoffs. pic.twitter.com/kjAD0cM8Ni, Bulls-Pacers Recap & Long-Term Implications: February 15, Plus finisher that can dunk almost anything, Poor balance against drives; struggles to guard the perimeter, Slow jumper, can only shoot wide open shots, Needs to get stronger and slim down; second highest body fat at NBA Draft Combine, Doesnt create offense as a playmaker or ball-handler, Block-hunting got him in foul trouble at times. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Last year, he played in the Australia U18 Nationals for Queensland South where he led all scorers averaging almost 27 points per game. Please play responsibly. When you look at the potential of Walker Kessler, I think hes worth the pick at 22. Here goes. Kessler scores a majority of his points in the paint off of dunks and alley-oops. It's from a rap song by Al Kapone, created for the 2005 movie "Hustle . (All stats provided by Synergy require a subscription). Call 1-800-GAMBLER (PA/OH) or 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Gambling Problem? He probably wont be a 13-15 PPG guy that teams rely on to score. The average cost to live in Ho Chi Minh city was around 25 thousand US$. The 7-foot-1 North Carolina transfer announced his decision . The 7'1" 5 star center came into college in a tough way. AUBURN, Ala. (AP) Auburn center Walker Kessler, who was chosen the nation's top defensive player, plans to enter the NBA Draft. He is an elite level shot blocker and shot disruptor inside, routinely blocking 4 or more shots in a game (currently averaging 4.7 per game) . Walker Kessler NBA Draft news, analysis, videos, stats and team projection from BasketballNews.com . Cookie Notice Scouting Report: Walker just put together argably the most productive shot-blocking season on record in terms of production per minute. Many of the strengths of Kessler get neutralized by NBA tempo, which could be quick to play him out of the league. Ultimately, I think he has the potential to be a game-changing defender in the NBA, although if it does happen it will not happen in the first couple years. He has good offensive awareness knowing when to cut and how to create passing pockets when his teammates drive to the rim. See how he ranks against the rest of the league in shooting, passing, defense, and more. The big man finished with 10 points (5-of-6 FG), 12 rebounds, an assist and five swats. . Five-star Class of 2020 center prospect Walker Kessler committed late Sunday night to Roy Williams and North Carolina, a decision that came on the heels of an official visit this weekend to UNC . Thats the best in college basketball for anyone who took at least 15 attempts there. Read full article. He has great hands . He had a great year at Auburn, winning the national defensive player of the year in all of college basketball, SEC DPOY, and made the All-SEC team in his sophomore year. Walker Kessler DraftExpress Profile: scouting reports, videos, stats and logs. 1 pick in 2022 NBA Draft. Due to limited playing time, he transferred to Auburn. Kessler joins incoming freshman Jabari Smith to form one of the most talented incoming frontcourt groups in recent memory. He was a consensus 5-star prospect coming out of high school . His IQ at the defensive end will never be an issue for any team that he ends up on. Walker Kessler poses for photos on the red carpet during the 2022 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2022 in New York City. youtu.be Walker Kessler Scouting Report 2022 NBA Draft In today's video, I will break down Walker Kessler, a projected 1st Round pick in the 2022 NBA draft. I didnt find too many possessions where Auburn hard hedged or switched with Kessler, but the clips that I did find he was surprisingly mobile and did a good job to recover and make plays on the ball. He averages an incredible 4.6 blocks per game and 10 blocks per 100 possessions, and his block ratethis past season was the highest for any college basketball player in the past 14 seasons. Guards torched Kessler off the bounce, his discipline wasnt always there, and he couldnt make up for those impacts on the other end. As far as skill goes, Kessler is behind many other bigs in the category. Similar to: Shawn Bradley, post-Miami Heat Hassan Whiteside, Hasheem Thabeet. Moves well, is not a statue in the paint, and has shown an ability to step out and defend in . Based on your vantage point, he has a very unique relationship with 3-point shooting upside, one that would certainly unlock a new ceiling to make him that rare, tantalizing stretch-5. Hes not going to be an offensive player in the NBA. Kessler made the most of his one season at Auburn after transferring in from North Carolina. Walker Kessler Draft Profile At 7'1, 245 lbs., Kessler has the frame to be a force on the interior in the NBA. As a sophomore, Kessler averaged 11.4 PPG, 8 RPG, 0.9 APG, 1.1 SPG, 4.6 BPG, and 1.1 TOPG on shooting splits 2022 NBA Draft scouting report of Auburn center Walker Kessler Hes not going to pick up players outside of the paint area well as hes not an explosive athlete, so that limits a bit of his versatility on defense. While it may take some time for Kessler to fully develop into the player that Milwaukee wants offensively, he will have time to do that sitting behind veterans Bobby Portis and Brook Lopez. how to get to quezon avenue mrt station Uncovering hot babes since 1919. Nothing too crazy but Im not wincing at the idea of him making plays out of short roll situations like I would with other 7-footers. He also collected first-team and Defensive Player of the Year accolades in the SEC. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Ideally, a defender should stunt at the popping big and recover to their own man to buy Kessler time to recover back, but teams that ran flat middle ball screens were getting open looks against Auburns ice coverage. 3 Auburn into No. Eligibility restrictions apply. For someone that completely dominated pretty much every defensive stat, advanced analytics, etc., he didnt crack the top 10 in any of the rebounding percentage leaderboards this past season. Happy Saturday and welcome to another edition of Cap'n Kielar's Best Bets. Please, How good was Kessler anchoring Auburns defense as a top-ten team in the country for most of the year? Standing Reach: 8 5.5. D raft E xpress. In the clips I included, youll notice he struggles recovering when bigs pop or short roll into space around the top of the key, either for a shot or a drive to the rim. Might get some All-Defense votes in his prime. This was also the strength of Kessler at Auburn, he set an NCAA record last season in block rate. Although he does have some concerns about strength and offensive game, hes not coming to an NBA team to be that guy. Hes also one of three college basketball players ever to register 150 blocks and 10 made 3-pointers in the same season. Utah's rookie leads the entire NBA in blocks off the bench . Hes not jumping high to block shots or catch lobs which can be frustrating at times because he misses some easy shots around the rim. QB prospect makes big jump into top 10 as scouting combine beckons. 24. Auburn Tigers lead . If he can get 6-10 PPG just from PNRs, FTs, OREBs, and dump offs, thats more than enough. "As far as a ceiling goes, I don't really see one for Walker," Jazz head coach Will . Walker Kessler. The biggest issue that most have with Kessler is his lack of offensive ability at this stage of his career. Free Throws. , so he lunges at perimeter shooters, bites on nearly every pump fake and gets himself into trouble as a result. Simply wasn't the same player at North Carolina. Defending ball screens against NBA guards will be a different story and will make or break his career, but I personally like his chances to be an impactful role player on the defensive end. The 20-year-old might have a long career ahead. Offensively, Walker Kessler is largely a play-finisher, being a strong P&R roll man due to his catch radius above the rim and easy dunking ability. His mechanics look workable, and it sounds like he really wants to become a threat from outside judging from how Connelly and the rest of the front office rave about his character/work ethic and then hearing rumors about his time at UNC where he was upset the coaching staff wouldnt let him take 3s. It did not take long for that to trasnlate to the NBA and according to Bleacher Reports's Jonathan Wasserman, Kessler leads the NBA with a block rate of 8.4%, counting players who have played at latest 500 minutes. The Minnesota Timberwolves addressed their interior defense by selecting Auburn center Walker Kessler with the No. Menu. The SEC Defensive Player of the Year, and one of college basketballs most prolific shot blockers in its history, Walker Kessler had a dynamic breakout year following his transfer from North Carolina to Auburn. Hell have to work on keeping the ball high on passes and continue to develop lower body strength to be stronger with the ball as his career progresses. Good footwork and post skills. Walker Kessler Scouting Report 2022 NBA Draft youtu.be/6yo61fSL_mg via @YouTube. He averaged around 11 PPG/8 RPG/1 APG/1 SPG/4.6 BPG. Timberwolves Active Roster and Average Salary (Expiration Year), Jaylen Nowell, SG: $1.2M (2023, Club Option). It is possible that the Tar Heels produce multiple one . However, he still finished around 73% of his shots at the rim (not post-ups) according to Synergy. Kessler is coming off of a college season that earned him the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year honors by averaging 4.6 blocks per game. I think he has a little more polish offensively in the post than Rudy Gobert or WCS coming out of college, but that means nothing. For an example of what subscribers get, check out the sample subscriber team page. A prospect like Kessler will need time to adjust and probably won't be a huge contributor until after his rookie season. But he doesnt stay disciplined. There were times where he would receive a dump-off pass ready to finish and hed bring the ball down before trying to finish and either get stripped or give the defense time to jump up and block his shot. Bleacher Report Draft Expert Jonathan Wasserman's Scouting Report. Akron. He even hit his first 3-pointer of the season, which came on a designed play by head coach Will Hardy to . On the offensive end he plays like a combo forward trapped in a centers body. Strengths: Walker is a skilled long big bodied post player. For the Tigers, he averaged 11.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.6 blocks per game. For what Kessler will bring defensively, I believe that it is worth the wait for his offensive game to catch up. With his leaping ability and size, Kessler is able to clean up around the rim nicely on offense. Kessler made the most of his one season at Auburn after transferring in from North Carolina. Player Profile Report. While Kessler doesn't fit the profile of the floor-stretching 5 coveted by NBA teams, rim protection will always have a place in the Association. Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images The Timberwolves made it to the playoffs for the first time since 2017-18 after finishing seventh in the West and defeating the Clippers in their play-in game. As a sophomore, Kessler averaged 11.4 PPG, 8 RPG, 0.9 APG, 1.1 SPG, 4.6 BPG, and 1.1 TOPG on shooting splits of 61/20/60. He wasn't used much as a floor spacer, but has good form and should improve with . Unlike Anthony Davis, Kessler struggles as an explosive athlete. This is a great stat when scouting back-up point guards who may be in line for increased playing time. These were the only two Auburn players in the two-round mock draft meaning . Defensive discipline is lacking for Kessler with many of his fouls, especially on the perimeter. I dont think the Wolves will ice with Kessler for this reason theyll likely just drop and either live with big shooting a top-of-the-key 3 with Kessler contesting or live with a drive with Kessler doing what he does best at the rim. Another recruiting class, another elite big man for North Carolina, as 2020 center Walker Kessler committed to the Tar Heels on Sunday, telling Evan Daniels of After the pick, I went straight to work watching film on Kessler to see what the Wolves were getting with him. He's a limited athlete and scorer, but signs of shooting confidence suggest he's capable of eventually adding a three-ball to complement his rim protection. Milwaukee Bucks NBA Draft Scouting Report: Walker Kessler - Strengths. All in all, if he puts forth effort to box out and be physical with guys, he should win some rebounding battles with his reach. Mobile and agile; moves well for a 7 footer. For what its worth, he had similar combine measurements to Steven Adams. As a reserve, he averaged 4.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. His ORB%, DRB%, and TRB% were 15.3%, 21%, and 18%. Kessler averaged 8.1 RPG, including 2.6 OREBs and 5.4 DREBs. At 71, 245 lbs., Kessler has the frame to be a force on the interior in the NBA. Walker Kessler now has 83 blocks this season as a rookie with the Toronto Raptors ' Christian Koloko coming in second with 45. In the class of 2020, Kessler was a five-star recruit who signed with North Carolina. . We are dedicated to providing a place in the sport that is designed by the athlete, for the athlete! A player with a high assist rate is likely to produce a lot of . Walker Kessler was a top 25 recruit out of high school. Privacy Policy. Brook Lopez just turned 34 years old in April and recently had back surgery, so the Bucks may need to start thinking about their big for the future. He tries to block everything, so he lunges at perimeter shooters, bites on nearly every pump fake and gets himself into trouble as a result. On the offensive end he plays like a combo forward trapped in a centers body. A lot of draft talk among Wolves fans was that we need rebounding, size, and interior defense. Below is his full scouting report: Walker Kessler is an excellent shot-blocker that had historic block numbers as a sophomore at Auburn, following his transfer from North Carolina. https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/leaders/blk-pct-player-season.html, https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/seasons/2022-leaders.html. Miami attacked him endlessly in their 5-out scheme, mirroring the attack. AUBURN Walker Kessler will credit his teammates, the scouting report or his height for his stat lines. He barely registered at North Carolina his freshman season but broke out last year at Auburn, averaging 11.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.6 blocks per game during the regular season. He tends to pick up his dribble early instead of continuing to backdown for a better position. Kessler can handle in the open court and break the defender down off the dribble. Pictures & Videos. Can't leave him alone for potential dump-offs with his reach + size pic.twitter.com/8CNinPT9po, Walker Kessler: 3 Shot only 20% on his 50 Three Point Attempts 59.6% Free Throw Shooter on 89 AttemptsCould there be something lying underneath those numbers? While the post-up has been steadily dying in the NBA, up-fakes are a big part of where Kessler gets put in foul trouble at times. He's a limited athlete and scorer, but signs of shooting confidence suggest he's capable of eventually adding a three-ball to . The most obvious number that jumps out is the blocks, and Kessler is going to wreak havoc in the interior at the next level. FutureView. Air Force. Walker Kessler: 2022 NBA Draft Scouting Report. Unplayable if: Lack of mobility gets exposed on defense, and shooting never develops. He led the country in DBPM (8.0), was 3rd in DRTG (83.0), 4th in BPM (14.1), 8th in Defensive WS (2.7), 10th in PER (31.4). Due to limited playing time list of eligible players is officially locked in argably... Not I believe that it is worth the pick at 22 ensure the proper of... Kessler has the frame to be a huge contributor until after his rookie season good! Walker is a skilled long big bodied post player Works his way into a starting role a... Ppg guy that teams rely on to score although he does have some about. Kessler is a great stat when scouting back-up point guards who may be line! Made him one of the season their 5-out scheme, mirroring the attack a good post-up in... 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