Jabari Smith Jr. scouting report: Strengths . In my opinion, this is the most frustrating weakness. Fairburn, GA - 2020. Big (literally) threat as a roll man in the P&R. 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 Walker Ross Kessler (born July 26, 2001) is an American professional basketball player for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Kessler has been compared by some to Brook Lopez, given his ability to protect the paint and work inside on offense. 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. Mock Archives 2017 Mock Draft 2016 Mock Draft . Walker Kessler (28%) made his first career start Wednesday and boy did he make the most of it! The 20-year-old might have a long career ahead. Moreover, the NCAA Tournament exposed some issues with projecting his movement in space at the next level. Saw some good passes from him throughout his possession clips, making good reads out of short rolls, finding cutters, Hi-Lo looks from 3PT-line to high post area. Menu. His timing and patience on most plays are what made him one of the best defenders in all of college basketball last season. The 7'1" 5 star center came into college in a tough way. Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. If he becomes consistent at this hell draw a lot of attention and open up the secondary break offense that Finch would love to build from. AUBURN Walker Kessler will credit his teammates, the scouting report or his height for his stat lines. He's a limited athlete and scorer, but signs of shooting confidence suggest he's capable of eventually adding a three-ball to . 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. 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. 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. One of this draft class' top defensive prospects won't be doing on-field work at the NFL Scouting Combine. Position: C. Height: 7'0". Jerry Meyer Director of Basketball Scouting. Strengths: Has excellent size for the position at 7'1", 245 pounds. 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. In the playoffs, when gameplans and rotation changes can go after a players flaws possession after possession, Kessler stands out as a big man whose role may not provide much value over another big man with increased versatility, athleticism, offensive impact or discipline. He finished the season with 155 blocks, tops in the nation, and tied for the national lead with 4.6 blocks per game. 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. Watch on. As far as skill goes, Kessler is behind many other bigs in the category. 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. 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. Unplayable if: Lack of mobility gets exposed on defense, and shooting never develops. However, he still finished around 73% of his shots at the rim (not post-ups) according to Synergy. He converted 73 percent of his shots at the rim this past season, which ranked in the 97th percentile, per Synergy. How he handles the increased athleticism around him will be telling. How good was Kessler anchoring Auburns defense as a top-ten team in the country for most of the year? The NBA has a way of playing immobile big men off the floor, which could be a fatal flaw for Kessler. Wilson later denied the report: "I never wanted them fired." a day ago. Office: The market did not record new supply in Q3 2022, the total cumulative supply of Grade A and B is still 1.43 million sqm of office space. Hes got a nice touch around the rim and from mid range and should continue to expand his range over the next few years. Heres a look at Auburn C Walker Kessler. Cookie Notice Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports. 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. 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. Projection . At 71, 245 lbs., Kessler has the frame to be a force on the interior in the NBA. For an example of what subscribers get, check out the sample subscriber team page. Kessler's length, mobility, and rim protection give him a unique skill set, allowing him to provide great impact on an NBA floor. / 111.1 kg. Learn about Walker Kessler and other recruit player profiles on RecruitingNation.com. BY Brian Fritz. 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. 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. A player with a high assist rate is likely to produce a . If you think highly of Brook Lopez, then I dont see why you wouldnt think highly of Walker Kessler. Report: Bears 'leaning toward' trading the No. Privacy Policy. Here's the scouting report for Kessler from 247Sports . 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. That may cause spacing issues if hes used in lineups with Giannis Antetokounmpo in the early stages of his career. Defenders are able wall up and get him off balance on his jump hooks and post fades. 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 . Rotowire Feb 26, 2023. Best Case Scenario: Works his way into a starting role anchoring a great playoff-team defense. 1 pick in 2023 NFL draft. Scouting Report: Walker just put together argably the most productive shot-blocking season on record in terms of production per minute. We break down Auburn C Walker Kessler with a scouting report and outlook heading into the 2022 NBA Draft. The oddsmakers there have his line at 24.5, with even -110 odds of him either being picked before or after No. Cody Taylor - USA Today - Apr. Kessler scores a majority of his points in the paint off of dunks and alley-oops. 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. Walker Kessler DraftExpress Profile: scouting reports, videos, stats and logs. 06/10/2022. At a towering 71, Kessler is much more mobile than many bird-legged or thick-bodied bigs. 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). 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 . Kessler gives the team an opportunity to continue their drop coverage scheme defensively because of the type of player that he is in terms of rim protection. Walker Kessler now has 83 blocks this season as a rookie with the Toronto Raptors ' Christian Koloko coming in second with 45. Mar 11, 2022; Tampa, FL, USA; Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports, Mar 18, 2022; Greenville, SC, USA: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports. #2022NBADraft #WalkerKesslerVideo breakdown of 2022 draft prospect and Auburn Tigers P Walker KesslerMake sure you follow us on Twitter @TheBoxAndOne_And sub. In a league where most players have mastered playing around length, Kessler will need to iron that out quickly. If Kessler is going to become a starting-caliber big in the NBA, he needs to address the mobility concerns a tad, or be utilized in a scheme that exposes him to the perimeter less. 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. A lot of people are saying this is a swing factor for him I dont necessarily disagree, but I dont think being a legit 3PT threat will make or break his career. On the offensive end he plays like a combo forward trapped in a centers body. 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. The Grizzlies and their fans, and team management, have adopted "Whoop that trick" as their rally cry. 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 IQ at the defensive end will never be an issue for any team that he ends up on. 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. Runs the floor hard in transition, has good strides down the floor. In 2020, the total population of Ho Chi Minh city reached 8.6 million people, with a growth rate 2020-2030 predicted at 28.5%. 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. . Kessler is a power finisher who converts down low with a lot of dunks or lobs, and he should be very good as a roller in the NBA. Connelly and staff said it best - we won't be able to judge these picks after Summer League or even after year 1. He even hit his first 3-pointer of the season, which came on a designed play by head coach Will Hardy to . Walker Kessler leads No. Please play responsibly. The NBA is a different game based more on skill and angles, not as much size. Explore all the NBA statistics of Walker Kessler. But he doesnt stay disciplined. But let's try to bounc Yet when I hear most other fans speak of Kessler, most would prefer the team to stay away from him. Exceeds expectations if: Jump shot develops and his length + recovery ability as a shot blocker translates up to the NBA. DraftKings operates pursuant to an Operating Agreement with iGaming Ontario. Alabama. 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. the Los Angeles Clippers deployed against Rudy Gobert. 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. Scouting Report: Walker just put together argably the most productive shot-blocking season on record in terms of production per minute. 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? 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