With a 75 wingspan along with great body control and leaping ability, Kessler is able to deter shots at the rim and he defends without fouling. This site is now updating for the 2022-2023 season. Pos. (All stats provided by Synergy require a subscription). The 7-foot-1 North Carolina transfer announced his decision . Hes got a nice touch around the rim and from mid range and should continue to expand his range over the next few years. during the 2021 NBA Playoffs. Theres better, more realistic, upside plays for big man in the draft. Scouting Report: Walker just put together arguably the most productive shot-blocking season on record in terms of production per minute. UFC 285 Main Card Picks on DraftKings Sportsbook. For the Tigers, he averaged 11.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.6 blocks per game. Most of what Kessler is going to do early on in his career on offense will come from pure heart and hustle on the offensive glass and in designs for him as a screener. On a disappointing UNC team stuck behind a first round pick in Sharpe and without good point guard play from Caleb Love, Kessler essentially showed flashes in only 2 games as a freshman. How he handles the increased athleticism around him will be telling. Walker Kessler now has 83 blocks this season as a rookie with the Toronto Raptors ' Christian Koloko coming in second with 45. DRAFT SCOUTING REPORTS: Chet Holmgren | Paulo Banchero. As far as skill goes, Kessler is behind many other bigs in the category. 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. Cookie Notice Jazz's Walker Kessler: Game-high 12 boards, five blocks. Kessler can handle in the open court and break the defender down off the dribble. With his size, Kessler is going to be a big threat for any PNR action, lobs, and dump offs. Mobile and agile; moves well for a 7 footer. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). Due to limited playing time, he transferred to Auburn. The NBA is quick and relentless in exposing bad defensive traits, such as lateral quickness and defensive discipline, which will burn Kessler. Abilene Christian. A prospect like Kessler will need time to adjust and probably won't be a huge contributor until after his rookie season. That may cause spacing issues if hes used in lineups with Giannis Antetokounmpo in the early stages of his career. Beyond that, Kessler is limited: he doesnt pass or see the floor well, and he struggles to score out of the post in a translatable way (punishing mismatches, quick hooks, etc). Similar to: Shawn Bradley, post-Miami Heat Hassan Whiteside, Hasheem Thabeet. Jabari Smith Jr. scouting report: Strengths . Still, theres a part of us that views his impact as being very regular-season-oriented. Akron. I do not like the fit of Walker Kessler in Dallas simply due to his immobility, and my overall lack of confidence in Kesslers game translating to the next level. AUBURN, Ala. (AP) Auburn center Walker Kessler, who was chosen the nation's top defensive player, plans to enter the NBA Draft. Hes also one of three college basketball players ever to register 150 blocks and 10 made 3-pointers in the same season. Mar 11, 2022; Tampa, FL, USA; Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports, Mar 18, 2022; Greenville, SC, USA: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports. Kessler is also a strong rebounder and isnt afraid to mix things up in the middle. 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. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. How good was Kessler anchoring Auburns defense as a top-ten team in the country for most of the year? Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Good motor and active on the offensive glass. At a towering 71, Kessler is much more mobile than many bird-legged or thick-bodied bigs. Tim Connelly and the rest of the front office seemed to fill some of those holes with their first-round pick in Kessler. 15 Greatest Draft Picks in Franchise History. He averaged around 11 PPG/8 RPG/1 APG/1 SPG/4.6 BPG. Defenders are able wall up and get him off balance on his jump hooks and post fades. 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. 06/10/2022. As a reserve, he averaged 4.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. Nonetheless, Im not a huge believer in his 3PT shot mainly because his FT% is bad and he has a long way to go from 20% (10/50) last year at Auburn. Walker Kessler: 2022 NBA Draft Scouting Report. Alec Kessler Uncle. Hometown Fairburn, Ga. . 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. Kessler is emerging as a big time center prospect who contributes on both ends of the floor. Similar to Vando, hell likely get his points through being at the right place at the right time, in the short corner/dunker spot. He finished the season with 155 blocks, tops in the nation, and tied for the national lead with 4.6 blocks per game. Stay tuned to see what the team will do in the NBA Draft. He may be block-hungry but in the NBA he will have to get better in this area if he wants to stay out of foul trouble and play significant minutes. Walker Kessler NBA Draft news, analysis, videos, stats and team projection from BasketballNews.com . On our 17th installment of #ScoutingSundays for the 2022 NBA Draft, we break down potential lottery pick Walker Kessler's season with Auburn as well as his N. Walker Kessler is a great fit for the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2022 NBA Draft. , so he lunges at perimeter shooters, bites on nearly every pump fake and gets himself into trouble as a result. 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. His ORB%, DRB%, and TRB% were 15.3%, 21%, and 18%. Heres how he projects at the next level. 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. If I had to toss out a peak stat line, it would probably look like 10-12 PPG/6-8 RPG/2-3 APG/2-2.5 BPG. Overview; . 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. February 25, 2023, 10:43 a.m. Fearless Forecast vs San Antonio Spurs: . His lack of ability in the post and as an outside shooter are valid concerns, but those kinds of things can be developed with NBA coaches and veteran players to help guide him along the way. Player Profile Report. Bleacher Report Draft Expert Jonathan Wasserman's Scouting Report. We break down Auburn C Walker Kessler with a scouting report and outlook heading into the 2022 NBA Draft. Transfers to Auburn and re-discovers himself by playing big out of PNR, blocking shots . Cushman & Wakefield MarketBeat reports analyze quarterly economic and commercial real estate activity including supply, demand and pricing trends at the market and submarket levels. Do you find this scouting report inaccurate/outdated? and our https://theboxandone.substack.com/Strengths-Rim Protection (0:14)-PNR Defense (3:44)-Finishing (5:13)Improvement Areas-Shooting Consistency (7:26)-Mobility (8:53)-Foul Trouble (10:33) See the entire playlist of 2022 NBA Draft prospect breakdowns here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLygbdtr7cZBgomq043fbHLHbxJHXR2aH5 Make sure you check out our Box and One Big Board, with video links, analysis, rankings, mock drafts and more! Hes a very similar player to Lopez in terms of athleticism and defensive ability, so it would be a seemingly smooth transition into the next generation for the Bucks at the 5. Maybe even the weather. Big men who protect the rim have clear value in their translation to the NBA. Gambling Problem? The NBA is a different game based more on skill and angles, not as much size. He probably wont be a 13-15 PPG guy that teams rely on to score. Especially in todays NBA, having a roll man make good decisions out of short rolls in a spaced floor full of shooters is an extremely desirable trait. . 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 POSITION: 3 REGIONAL: 1 STATE: 14th. NBA Draft content related to the Dallas Mavericks. Walker Kessler is the best rim protector in the entire draft, and one of the best prospects as a shot-blocker the league has seen in recent memory. Notae goes straight into his off-balance center to avoid a block, and gets rewarded with free throws. D raft E xpress. Strengths: Walker is a skilled long big bodied post player. Walker's brother, Houston, also played for Georgia from 2013-17. The Minnesota Timberwolves addressed their interior defense by selecting Auburn center Walker Kessler with the No. If the Mavs want to take a flier in the late second round on him, I would not be opposed; but taking Kessler in the first round on a guaranteed contract is a major risk in the modern NBA. Fantasy. Moreover, the NCAA Tournament exposed some issues with projecting his movement in space at the next level. Heres a look at Auburn C Walker Kessler. Air Force. #2022NBADraft #WalkerKesslerVideo breakdown of 2022 draft prospect and Auburn Tigers P Walker KesslerMake sure you follow us on Twitter @TheBoxAndOne_And sub. 1 pick in 2022 NBA Draft. 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. 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. pic.twitter.com/K6VLcSwVk4, Walker Kessler is a really good finisher above the rim, especially in traffic. He tries to block. Both Miami and Jacksonville State targeted him on the perimeter (and head coach Bruce Pearl wasnt smart enough to expose him less to those situations, continuing to hard hedge or let teams force switches onto guards). / 111.1 kg. It's clear Kessler is a significantly better player now than he was at the beginning of the season. The biggest questions for evaluating Kesslers defensive trajectory is how much that can carry over to an NBA floor. North Carolina has set itself up for success for years to come with this incoming 2020 recruiting class. 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. Pulled some clips of him handling in transition in open space. 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. Walker Kessler. Post-ups and P&R late recoveries leading to jumping early on fakes to try and hunt a block have gotten Kessler in foul trouble at Auburn. Milwaukee Bucks 2022 NBA Draft Scouting Report: Patrick Baldwin Jr. by Nathan Marzion. 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. Kessler's team's Players roster for 2023-03-01. Learn about Walker Kessler and other recruit player profiles on RecruitingNation.com. Kessler has been compared by some to Brook Lopez, given his ability to protect the paint and work inside on offense. 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 . Unlike Anthony Davis, Kessler struggles as an explosive athlete. 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. Thats the best in college basketball for anyone who took at least 15 attempts there. Walker Kessler was a top 25 recruit out of high school. NBA Rookie of the Year rankings: Jazz's Kessler leaving his mark. Kessler reminds me a lot of Brook Lopez and hes really a development of a three-point shot away from bringing to the table exactly what Lopez does for the Bucks. Theres enough of a foundation with Kesslers outside shot and ball-handling ability to create some upside, although neither can be considered plus points. Scouting Report: Walker just put together argably the most productive shot-blocking season on record in terms of production per minute. 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. 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. Get the latest news and updates on Walker Kessler from The Athletic. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. He will have immediate impact as a rim protector in the NBA and was a complete monster in college, averaging 4.56 blocks per game (40th on the All-Time BPG Single Season Leaderboard). Last year, he played in the Australia U18 Nationals for Queensland South where he led all scorers averaging almost 27 points per game. 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.. A&M-Corpus Christi. Kesslers defensive upside begins with his shot-blocking ability, which extends to some jump shots. Bleacher Report Draft Expert Jonathan Wasserman's Scouting Report. Tipico Sportsbook gets exact with Kessler's draft position. That's the best in college basketball for anyone who took at least 15 attempts there. Miami attacked him endlessly in their 5-out scheme, mirroring the attack. Orlando Magic win draft lottery, get No. Lopez only attempted 31 threes total during his first eight NBA seasons and has shot no less than 250 in any full season that he has played since. This was also the strength of Kessler at Auburn, he set an NCAA record last season in block rate. 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. Strengths: Has excellent size for the position at 7'1", 245 pounds. Walker Kessler's 2023 draft profile. Expected role: Shot blocker that lives at the rim on both ends and is always contesting shots. Unplayable if: Lack of mobility gets exposed on defense, and shooting never develops. Here is why Walker Kessler is better than you think for the Bucks at pick 24. Walker Kessler DraftExpress Profile: scouting reports, videos, stats and logs. 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. Bleacher Report Draft Expert Jonathan Wasserman's Scouting Report. Follow your favorite teams and leagues for in-depth analysis and expert coverage from the best newsroom in sports. 6-11, 220 | Class of 2020. 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. He converted 73 percent of his shots at the rim this past season, which ranked in the 97th percentile, per Synergy. 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. View stats, analysis and highlights. Both Miami and Jacksonville State targeted him on the perimeter (and head coach Bruce Pearl wasnt smart enough to expose him less to those situations, continuing to hard hedge or let teams force switches onto guards). He should be able to impact an NBA team on the defensive end right away and has game-changing potential on that end as I mentioned earlier. Homepage Mock Drafts. Despite the prolific season, Kessler certainly has a lot of areas to clean up on that end of the floor. But let's try to bounc Privacy Policy. Kessler was a good post-up defender in college, which will need to translate for him to fully hit his defensive upside. 22 overall pick of the 2022 NBA draft. Auburn lands a big time center prospect who left UNC after his freshman season. Fantastic size and length help him make his huge defensive impact . The 20-year-old might have a long career ahead. With the Milwaukee Bucks holding the 24th pick in the 2022 NBA draft, one thing they might be looking to do is add another big man. Looking at his defensive possessions in conference play and the NCAA tournament against Villanova and Miami, he needs to work on walling up with his chest in the post instead of going for blocks and allowing defenders space to make moves. He averaged 11.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.6 blocks in 34 games. USA TODAY - Jeff Risdon . Moreover, the NCAA Tournament exposed some issues with projecting his movement in space at the next level. The 2022 NBA Draft order has been set and the list of eligible players is officially locked in. 1 pick in 2023 NFL draft. 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. Update Kessler will head to the Timberwolves, who traded for the No. He has a big impact on the defensive end thanks to his great size and good defensive instincts. Out of the league after his rookie deal. Shot-blocking specimen with great instincts as a rim-protector Fantastic size and length help him make his huge defensive impact Wiry, so he might need to get stronger so he doesnt get pushed around on the glass Solid shooting stroke, but the numbers dont reflect that yet Drop defender against pick-and-roll Has trouble when asked to switch Good finisher down low, though not a great one due to just-decent athleticism. Kessler can handle in the open court and break the defender down off the . It's from a rap song by Al Kapone, created for the 2005 movie "Hustle . He can impact jump shooters that dribble in place and resort to a one-dribble stepback, but cannot handle change of speeds, especially against drives. Kessler knows how to get the ball, whether its for a rebound, blocking a shot, or for a ball that is loose anywhere on the floor.
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