Walker Kessler’s incredible performance showcases NBA-level talent

Auburn sophomore forward Walker Kessler showcased his uncanny ability on both ends of the court last night in a victory over the formerly undefeated LSU Tigers.

Walker Kessler got off to an incredibly slow start this season, but it appears as if he’s finally found his stride.

The former Tar Heel turned Auburn Tiger notched double-digit points just three times in his first six appearances this season, but after scoring 14, 19, 13 and 16 in his past four games, respectively, Kessler looks every bit the five-star player he was when he signed with North Carolina in the fall of 2019.

Many Tar Heel fans will say that they don’t care about the comings and goings of one Walker Kessler, and tell me to quit writing about a player that “gave up on his team” and “quit when things didn’t go his way.” But there are others that don’t feel that way — our numbers on Kessler-related articles tell us as much — and are interested in seeing his full potential unfold after a largely uneventful freshman campaign in Chapel Hill.

Points aside, Kessler’s most recent performance is one that will be watched over and over by NBA scouts and general managers, as it showcased his tremendous ceiling and NBA-level talent. Sure, he connected on an incredibly efficient 6-of-8 shots from the floor and 1-of-1 from three-point range, but it was his effort on the boards and the defensive side of the ball, in particular, that paired with his 7-foot-1, 245-pound stature will ultimately elevate him to an NBA lottery selection.

Kessler pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds in 29 minutes of play, showing a commanding presence on the low blocks that LSU’s front court simply couldn’t combat. Even more impressive were Kessler’s 11 blocks on the game. You read that correctly; Kessler recorded an unbelievable ELEVEN-block performance to notch his first career triple-double in Auburn’s 70-55 win over the 16th-ranked and formerly unbeaten LSU Tigers.

So, how impressive has Kessler actually been this season? Well, his 55 blocked shots in just 13 games put him at an average of 4.23 per game, good for third-best in the country. He’s averaging nearly 7.4 blocks per 40 minutes, and 10.2 blocks per 100 possessions. For comparison’s sake, the Tar Heels’ leader in blocks is Armando Bacot, who has 20, and the team has just 43 in total.

Kessler is currently boasting a defensive rating of 76.8 to go along with his 120.2 offensive rating. Add to that his box plus/minus of 13.9, and it’s clear why Kessler was such a coveted recruit coming out of high school and a highly sought-after player in the NCAA transfer portal following his departure from North Carolina.

Check back with Keeping It Heel for more on Walker Kessler this season, as well as all the latest on the UNC basketball program.