Utah Jazz Center Walker Kessler Is Playing To His Strengths In Strong Rookie Campaign
Let's make something clear. While Walker Kessler's odds of reaching stardom may be modest, that's quite alright as he still projects as a long-term pro, who will carve out a long career in the NBA.
For the 22nd overall selection, that's better than expected from most drafted in that area.
Kessler is 21 and his physical frame is likely close to being a finished product. Sure, he can tune it here or there, but at 7-foot-1 and around 250 pounds, he's solidly built.
Better yet, he knows how to use it.
The center understood last year at Auburn that his best chance at NBA success was by leaning into his advantages, such as his sheer mountain-esque size. He led the nation in blocks and block percentage, swatting 155 shots in just 871 minutes, which is frankly absurd.
That knack for protecting the paint has carried over, as he averages roughly one block per every 10 minutes he plays. He also challenges shots at a high rate, and is still learning to do so without fouling, having picked up 26 fouls in 214 minutes on the season so far.
Fortunately, Kessler isn't starting. And in the backup role he's currently operating in, relieving Kelly Olynyk, he can afford to play a bit loosely when the Jazz are low on energy. The balance between proper positioning and outright going for a huge swat is a varying one. Eventually, as he matures and likely finds himself growing into a larger role, it would seem likely he identifies the right ratio.
While Kessler is a very large human being, he's fairly agile and quick off his feet. He's a constant presence on the glass grabbing 5.2 rebounds in 15.3 minutes, 2.3 of which come on the offensive end. The Jazz are fourth in the NBA in offensive rebounding percentage, and Kessler alone is responsible for 15.2% of the team's total of 211.
It's not all defense and rebounding, however. Kessler has shown proficiency in attacking off of rolling action, finishing within three feet of the rim at a clip of 78.6%, making up 57.1% of his offense.
Admittedly, Kessler has yet to make a single shot from outside 10 feet yet - and has attempted just one - after attempting 50 3-pointers last season at Auburn. It will be interesting to see if head coach Will Hardy is eventually going to let Kessler test out his range.
For the time being, it seems Hardy prefers to have Kessler operate near the basket, gaining secondary opportunities, and finishing plays.
Being a backup playing just 15 minutes per game is probably going to prevent Kessler from gaining any buzz as an all-rookie member, but if the Jazz end up trading Olynyk later in the season, a transition into the starting lineup would make for an interesting case to see how much he can handle in an expanded role. After all, despite his lack of minutes, he ranks fourth in rebounding for the entire rookie class.
The surprise of Utah this season will also help shed a larger light on him, as he's a valuable contributor to that success. The Jazz frequently rely on their depth, of which Kessler has become a major part.
He's building some intriguing on-court chemistry with Collin Sexton, playing off of the explosive scorer by creating vertical space, and rim-running on fast breaks to relieve the pressure of the perimeter defense.
Kessler is overall a smart player. He's displaying a high sense of understanding of angles and positioning, which bodes well for his future. If a jumper ever comes around, that would add a huge layer to his potential.
For now, though, the Jazz are perfectly satisfied with the current version of who he is, and are likely fine in waiting to see what he turns out to be down the line.
Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.
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