Jazz Rookie Walker Kessler Makes History in NBA Debut
The Utah Jazz stunned the NBA world with a commanding 123-102 victory over the Denver Nuggets in Game 1. Time will tell whether Utah's energetic performance was a flash in the pan, or the new modus operandi for first-year head coach Will Hardy.
Speaking of first-year guys, rookie center Walker Kessler had himself a game. He finished the night 5-for-5 from the field with 12 points, 10 rebounds, an assist, and a steal.
For a Jazz debut, it's hard to beat a double-double, especially as a rookie. Kessler became the first Utah player ever to post double digits in points and rebounds in his first game as a Jazzman.
“That’s pretty neat,” Kessler told the Utah Jazz Radio Network after the game. “Man, that was a blast. We had so many scorers. I don’t know how many we had in double figures—at least six or seven.”
The Jazz had seven scorers reach double digits in Game 1. Few would have expected that.
Acquired as part of the Rudy Gobert trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the former NABC and SEC Defensive Player of the Year provided a nice boost to the Jazz off the bench.
It might still be a far cry from replacing Gobert's presence in the middle of the court, but Walker's debut was a more-than-encouraging step in that direction. The Jazz have a nice rotation of big men, from Kessler to Jarred Vanderbilt, Kelly Olnyk, and Lauri Markannen.
If Kessler keeps it up, who knows? He might be able to chip away at Vanderbilt's spot as Utah's starting center. But Vanderbilt himself was impressive in Game 1, finishing with 12 rebounds and seven points. Five of Vanderbilt's rebounds were offensive.
Getting his fifth foul in the third quarter put Vanderbilt on ice for the duration of Wednesday night's game, which gave rise to Kessler. Call it a pleasant surprise, but Kessler's debut should excite Jazz Nation about the state of this team's interior moving forward.
Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen.
