Walker's brother, Houston, also played for Georgia from 2013-17. Metric after metric indicates just how dominant Kessler was at the college level based on his size on both ends. Walker Kessler: 2022 NBA Draft Scouting Report. 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). Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports. Scouting Report: Walker just put together argably the most productive shot-blocking season on record in terms of production per minute. Walker Kessler NBA Draft news, analysis, videos, stats and team projection from BasketballNews.com . . Here's the scouting report for Kessler from 247Sports . 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. Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA (select parishes)/MD/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OH/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. The biggest issue that most have with Kessler is his lack of offensive ability at this stage of his career. Are you sure you want to report Kessler's team for inappropriate content? Kesslers defensive upside begins with his shot-blocking ability, which extends to some jump shots. Despite the prolific season, Kessler certainly has a lot of areas to clean up on that end of the floor. Jabari Smith Jr. scouting report: Strengths . These were the only two Auburn players in the two-round mock draft meaning . Scan this QR code to download the app now. Alabama. 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 even hit his first 3-pointer of the season, which came on a designed play by head coach Will Hardy to . He stands at 71, 256 lbs, with a 74 wingspan comparable to Moses Brown, Wendell Carter Jr., Jakob Poeltl, and Willie Cauley-Stein. . Bleacher Report Draft Expert Jonathan Wasserman's Scouting Report. We didn't fare too well for the first time this year on Tuesday, going 2-3. We have the brackets, dates, time, matchups, TV channels, live streaming outlets and more for the 2023 Southland Conference Tournament here. Get the latest news and updates on Walker Kessler from The Athletic. With his leaping ability and size, Kessler is able to clean up around the rim nicely on offense. He also collected first-team and Defensive Player of the Year accolades in the SEC. Hes got a nice touch around the rim and from mid range and should continue to expand his range over the next few years. Jerry Meyer Director of Basketball Scouting. He does a tremendous job of getting open in screening action as the roller on pick-and-roll plays. Follow your favorite teams and leagues for in-depth analysis and expert coverage from the best newsroom in sports. 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. FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS - FEBRUARY 08 (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images). 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. Excellent positional size at 7'1". The 2022 NBA Draft order has been set and the list of eligible players is officially locked in. Fights for rebounds. College Recruiting. Here goes. Contact us here: hoopshype@hoopshype.com, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. This site is now updating for the 2022-2023 season. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. Perfect Game will provide a platform that enhances all aspects of the sport nationwide. How he handles the increased athleticism around him will be telling. 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). Defensive discipline is lacking for Kessler with many of his fouls, especially on the perimeter. Auburn sophomore post Walker Kessler does that incredibly well and is coming off a legendary, perhaps greatest-of-all-time shot blocking season at the college level. https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/leaders/blk-pct-player-season.html, https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/seasons/2022-leaders.html. Walker Kessler's father, Chad, played basketball at Georgia. Tipico Sportsbook gets exact with Kessler's draft position. 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. 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). FutureView. 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. The Milwaukee Bucks hold the 24th overall pick in the upcoming 2022 NBA Draft. Homepage Mock Drafts. Out of the league after his rookie deal. 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. To compare, Steven Adams averaged 6.3 RPG in 23.4 MPG at Pitt. . He does foul a lot, registering 6.1 fouls per 100 possessions over the course of his college career. 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. Good rim protector. Kessler's latest work in this breakout 2021-22 season was a second triple-double, which led Auburn to a 75-58 win against Texas A&M on Saturday. 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. His lack of speed, especially against guards, throws him off balance. 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. Walker Kessler. HometownFairburn, GA Class2020. Position: C. Height: 7'0". Later in the mock draft, Auburn's Walker Kessler is selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the 18th overall selection. The concerns with Kessler are not on the defensive end, however. Player: Walker Kessler. With the 7'0" big man hovering around the rim, the Tigers held opponents to 38.6 percent shooting, seventh-best in Division I. Kessler was honored as a third-team All-American and the Naismith Defensive Payer of the Year. Scouting Report: Walker just put together arguably the most productive shot-blocking season on record in terms of production per minute. He has great hands . He converted 73 percent of his shots at the rim this past season, which ranked in the 97th percentile, per Synergy. At a towering 71, Kessler is much more mobile than many bird-legged or thick-bodied bigs. 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) . 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. Due to limited playing time, he transferred to Auburn. 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. Explore all the NBA statistics of Walker Kessler. Kessler scores a majority of his points in the paint off of dunks and alley-oops. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. 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. Hes fairly nimble for his size and will be a good screener once he puts on strength. Obviously hes a big target so teammates cant miss him. Hes not going to be an offensive player in the NBA. It's from a rap song by Al Kapone, created for the 2005 movie "Hustle . Kessler averaged 8.1 RPG, including 2.6 OREBs and 5.4 DREBs. Strengths: Walker is a skilled long big bodied post player. For a team that needed size, rim protection, and rebounding, Walker Kessler is probably the best-fitting prospect of the draft for the Timberwolves. with 7-footer Walker Kessler's 4.6 blocks per game leading the nation among Power 5 schools.) If he can get 6-10 PPG just from PNRs, FTs, OREBs, and dump offs, thats more than enough. Kessler can handle in the open court and break the defender down off the dribble. Learn about Walker Kessler and other recruit player profiles on RecruitingNation.com. Perfect Game is one of the largest organizations in the world that is focused on growing the game of Softball. 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. Explore all of Walker Kessler's NBA stats. Walker Kessler Scouting Report 2022 NBA Draft youtu.be/6yo61fSL_mg via @YouTube. View stats, analysis and highlights. Unplayable if: Lack of mobility gets exposed on defense, and shooting never develops. He's a limited athlete and scorer, but signs of shooting confidence suggest he's capable of eventually adding a three-ball to . Has nimble feet for a footer . As far as skill goes, Kessler is behind many other bigs in the category. He grabbed a lot of boards just from his reach in college, but I dont think hell be an elite rebounder in the NBA. 6-11, 220 | Class of 2020. during the 2021 NBA Playoffs. Tim Finnegan breaks down the UFC 285 main event on DraftKings Sportsbook. His timing and patience on most plays are what made him one of the best defenders in all of college basketball last season. As a benchmark, Anthony Davis averaged 4.65 BPG in his season at UK (34th all time). 06/10/2022. The 7-foot-1 North Carolina transfer announced his decision . Milwaukee Bucks 2022 NBA Draft Scouting Report: Patrick Baldwin Jr. by Nathan Marzion. Happy Saturday and welcome to another edition of Cap'n Kielar's Best Bets. The big man finished with 10 points (5-of-6 FG), 12 rebounds, an assist and five swats. 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. 245 lbs. Good footwork and post skills. #2022NBADraft #WalkerKesslerVideo breakdown of 2022 draft prospect and Auburn Tigers P Walker KesslerMake sure you follow us on Twitter @TheBoxAndOne_And sub. Theres enough of a foundation with Kesslers outside shot and ball-handling ability to create some upside, although neither can be considered plus points. Bleacher Report Draft Expert Jonathan Wasserman's Scouting Report. For the Tigers, he averaged 11.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.6 blocks per game. Shows flashes of face up game and being able to put the ball on the floor. Walker Kessler was picked 22nd in the 2022 NBA draft to the Minnesota Timberwolves. 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