What former Auburn Basketball star Walker Kessler's draft profile looks like

Here's a deep dive into Walker Kessler's draft profile.

Andrew Stefaniak | May 27, 2022

We are officially weeks away from the NBA Draft, and Walker Kessler looks to be a mid to late first-round pick.

Kessler is outstanding at most parts of the game, but there are a few things that he needs improvement on.

Kessler has a chance to develop into an elite pro player, but he will need to take a step forward in his first few years in the NBA for this to become a reality.

Let's take a look at SB Nation's draft profile for Kessler.

Strengths

Rim Protection

Kessler won the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award after his performance last year, so it is clear that his biggest strength is his defense. He blocked 155 shots last season, which is fantastic. Kessler was the tallest player measured at the NBA Combine and was tied for the tallest standing reach at nine foot five inches. Defense is something that pro scouts pay a lot of attention to, making Kessler a potential first-round draft pick. Kessler's defense will get him playing time for whatever team he lands on.

Finishing

Auburn Tigers forward Walker Kessler (13) goes up for a layup as Auburn Tigers take on Mississippi Rebels at Auburn Arena in Auburn, Ala., on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. — © Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK

Kessler had a 94% field goal percentage for shots taken near the rim. These stats show that if you get the ball in his hands near the basket more times than not, he will score. Because Kessler is not the best spot-up jump shooter, he will need to make everything around the basket to get a lot of playing time.

Weaknesses

Jump Shooting

Last year, Kessler was 10 for 50 from three-point land, which is not very impressive. In nowadays NBA, everyone on the court can make jump shots. Kessler will need to improve his jump shot form to help him become a better shooter. This is not out of the realm of possibility since shooting is all form and hand-eye coordination. Shooting is something that if Kessler works hard enough on, he can improve.

Falling for Shot Fakes

We know how great Kessler was on the defensive side of the ball in 2021, but the only time he got himself into trouble was when he would fall for shot fakes. To stay out of foul trouble in the NBA you can't fall for shot fakes. This is something that Kessler can work on, which will make him an even better defender than he already is. Kessler often found himself in foul trouble last year for the Auburn Tigers, so working on his discipline around the rim will help him stay out of foul trouble in the NBA.

Kessler has a chance to be a great big man in the NBA. He needs to work on a few things, but he will improve and learn the game more by playing with the pros. The NBA Draft will take place on June 23rd, and Kessler will hope to hear his name called in the first round.

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Published May 27, 2022