Former Tar Heel Walker Kessler finding his way with Auburn?

He got off to a slow start this season, but is former Tar Heel Walker Kessler beginning to find his way with the Auburn Tigers?

When Walker Kessler announced his decision to enter the NCAA transfer portal and leave the University of North Carolina, Tar Heel fans were understandably upset. Well, to an extent.

They’d just gotten to see the promising young freshman forward score double-digit points in five of his last 10 games of the season following an increase in playing time beginning in mid-February. That included an outstanding performance in a win over the No. 11 Florida State Seminoles in which Kessler, a 2020 McDonald’s All-American, recorded a game-high 20 points, eight rebounds and four blocks off the UNC bench.

So, needless to say, North Carolina fans were excited about the prospect of seeing a sophomore Walker Kessler in a starting role the following season. They were probably equally as thrilled when Kessler got off to an incredibly slow start this season at his new post with the Auburn Tigers.

But it looks like he’s trending in the opposite direction now, having recorded double-doubles in consecutive games at the Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis. He gave the Tigers 14 points and 10 rebounds in a hard-fought double-overtime loss to the Connecticut Huskies on Wednesday night. And he followed that up with a 13-point, 10-rebound showing against Loyola Chicago on Thursday. With momentum building, it’ll be interesting to see how he performs on a third and final day at the Battle 4 Atlantis on Friday.

After hitting just 6-of-15 (40 percent) shots from the floor and none of his first six three-point attempts over the team’s first three games of the season, Kessler connected on 11-for-23 (48 percent) overall and 2-for-6 from beyond the arc in the Bahamas. Has Kessler turned a corner for Bruce Pearl’s Tigers? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: Kessler is getting to play the style of basketball that he wanted to when he left Chapel Hill in search of a new home.

He attempted just four three-pointers for the Tar Heels a season ago, having spent the majority of his time in the low post rather than on the perimeter. Instead of playing the face-up game that he felt most comfortable with, he was utilized like a traditional big man with his back to the basket. He’s also getting a lot more playing time this season. Now, that’s not to say that he wouldn’t have gotten more minutes in Chapel Hill this season, because he would have, but he’s already logged more minutes in five games than he did in his first 18 with the Tar Heels.

At least half of the UNC fans reading this passage will be disgusted that I took the time to check in on Kessler, and even more so that I decided to write a column about him. “We don’t care about him,” and “Stop talking about somebody that abandoned his team,” they’ll say. But if I can’t give them something to be upset about on this long holiday weekend, then who will?

Plus, I enjoy following former Tar Heels, whether they left campus on a good note or a bad one. And I still wish Kessler luck in all of his future endeavors, even if the people blasting him and me in the comments section below this article don’t agree.

Go get ’em Walker.

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