.jpg) Kessler withAuburn in 2022 | |
| No. 24 – Utah Jazz | |
|---|---|
| Position | Center |
| League | NBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (2001-07-26)July 26, 2001 (age 23) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Listed height | 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) |
| Listed weight | 245 lb (111 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Woodward Academy (College Park, Georgia) |
| College |
|
| NBA draft | 2022: 1st round, 22nd overall pick |
| Selected by theMemphis Grizzlies | |
| Playing career | 2022–present |
| Career history | |
| 2022–present | Utah Jazz |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
Walker Ross Kessler (born July 26, 2001) is an American professionalbasketball player for theUtah Jazz of theNational Basketball Association (NBA). He playedcollege basketball for theNorth Carolina Tar Heels andAuburn Tigers.
Kessler played basketball forWoodward Academy inCollege Park, Georgia. In his senior season, he averaged 17.8 points, 9.3 rebounds and 5.2 blocks per game, leading his team to its first Class 4A state title. Kessler was namedThe Atlanta Journal-Constitution Player of the Year,Mr. Georgia Basketball and GeorgiaGatorade Player of the Year.[1][2] He was aMcDonald's All-American selection.[3] Kessler competed for Game Elite on theAmateur Athletic Union circuit.[4]
A consensus five-star recruit and one of the topcenters in the 2020 class, he committed to playing college basketball forNorth Carolina over offers fromDuke,Michigan,Virginia andVanderbilt, among others.[5][6]
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walker Kessler C | Newnan, GA | Woodward Academy (GA) | 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) | 245 lb (111 kg) | Sep 22, 2019 | |
Star ratings:Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: ESPN grade: 94 | ||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: Rivals:24 247Sports:28 ESPN:14 | ||||||
Sources:
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On March 10, 2021, Kessler posted 16 points, 12 rebounds and eight blocks in a 101–59 win overNotre Dame in the second round of theACC tournament. He set a North Carolina freshman record and an ACC Tournament record for blocks in a game.[7] As a freshman, he averaged 4.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.[8]
Following the season, Kessler transferred toAuburn, choosing the Tigers overGonzaga.[8] On December 29, 2021, he posted atriple-double of 16 points, a career-high 11 blocks and 10 rebounds againstLSU.[9] On January 25, Kessler received SEC Player of the Week honors following strong performances againstGeorgia andKentucky.[10] Kessler was regarded as one of the nations premier shot blockers, setting the Auburn single season block record, leading the nation in blocks and recording more blocks than all but 13 teams.[11][12] At the conclusion of the regular season, Kessler was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year, a member of the All-SEC First Team and a3rd Team All American.[13][14] On April 3, 2022, Kessler declared for the2022 NBA draft, forgoing his remaining college eligibility.[15]
Kessler was selected by theMemphis Grizzlies with the 22nd overall pick before being traded to theMinnesota Timberwolves, alongsideTyTy Washington, forJake LaRavia.[16] On July 6, 2022, two weeks after being drafted, Kessler was traded along withPatrick Beverley,Jarred Vanderbilt,Leandro Bolmaro,Malik Beasley, four future first round picks, and a pick swap to theUtah Jazz in exchange forRudy Gobert.[17] On July 9, Kessler signed his rookie scale contract with the Jazz.[18]
On January 16, 2023, Kessler put up a double-double with a career-high 20 points and a career-high 21 rebounds, alongside four assists and two blocks in a 126–125 win over theMinnesota Timberwolves.[19] On March 25, 2023, Kessler scored a career-high 31 points to go along with 11 rebounds in a 121–113 loss to theSacramento Kings.[20] Over the course of his rookie season he appeared in 74 games while averaging 9.2 points per game.[21]
At the conclusion of the 2022–23 season, Kessler was announced as a finalist for theNBA Rookie of the Year Award, ultimately finishing third in the voting.[22]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–23 | Utah | 74 | 40 | 23.0 | .720 | .333 | .516 | 8.4 | .9 | .4 | 2.3 | 9.2 |
| 2023–24 | Utah | 64 | 22 | 23.3 | .654 | .211 | .602 | 7.5 | .9 | .5 | 2.4 | 8.1 |
| Career | 138 | 62 | 23.2 | .690 | .227 | .548 | 8.0 | .9 | .4 | 2.4 | 8.7 | |
| * | Led NCAA Division I |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020–21 | North Carolina | 29 | 0 | 8.8 | .578 | .250 | .537 | 3.2 | .3 | .5 | .9 | 4.4 |
| 2021–22 | Auburn | 34 | 34 | 25.6 | .608 | .200 | .596 | 8.1 | .9 | 1.1 | 4.6* | 11.4 |
| Career | 63 | 34 | 17.9 | .601 | .204 | .577 | 5.8 | .6 | .8 | 2.9 | 8.2 | |
Kessler's father, Chad, and his uncle,Alec, played college basketball atGeorgia and were drafted into the NBA before becomingorthopedic surgeons.[23] His brother, Houston, also played basketball at Georgia.[24] His girlfriendAbbie Stockard, a nursing student and cheerleader at Auburn University, was crownedMiss America 2025.[25]
