NBA Rookies: Walker Kessler Looking Like a Steal for Jazz

Walker Kessler has been ultra productive in the starting lineup for the Utah Jazz, of late.

Drafted 22nd overall to Minnesota and then promptly shipped off to Utah in the monumental Rudy Gobert package, Kessler wasn’t thought of to be a centerpiece in the deal. Now halfway through his rookie season, he’s looking to prove he was.

Kessler didn’t get a lot of opportunity early. Utah didn’t yet know what they had and most importantly, they were rolling anyways as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.

But as time went and losses came, the Jazz have leaned more and more into their youth, meaning Kessler’s earned more starts than DNP’s, of late.

In his last six games, five of which he started, Kessler is averaging 12.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists and a whopping 3.3 blocks per game.

So far, Kessler has seemed to be a premier and, most importantly, cheap replacement for Rudy Gobert in Utah. On the season, he's now averaging 7.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.0 blocks. And those numbers only stand to improve as he gets more opportunity for the scrappy Jazz.

He posted the first 20-20 game for a rookie (20 points and 21 rebounds versus the Timberwolves, no less) since Gorgui Dieng in 2014. And has generally been really productive alongside Lauri Markkanen, Jordan Clarkson, Collin Sexton and a host of other scrappy Jazz players.

And at 21-years-old, there’s still plenty of time for Kessler to continue morphing both his offensive and defensive game into one that more suits the modern NBA.

Kessler and the Jazz are back in action at 8 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 19 against the Brooklyn Nets.

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