The Auburn Tigers had a very successful season this year, finishing 28–6 and 15–3 in SEC play. They were regular-season SEC champs and were a two-seed in the NCAA Tournament, though things ended poorly in the second round. Still, a large part of their success was due to the efforts of sophomore Walker Kessler. Kessler is parlaying his big season into bigger things, however, and has declared for the NBA draft.
In fact, Kessler has said that he is hiring an agent and has no plans to return to Auburn.
“I am fully committed to the NBA draft,” Kessler said. “I am not planning on returning to college.”
Kessler was named a third-team All-American after averaging 11.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 4.5 blocks in 26 minutes per game this past year. He earned first-team all-conference and defensive player of the year recognition and received both Naismith and NABC National Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Congrats to Walker Kessler on earning @NaismithTrophy Defensive Player of the Year! 👏
The @AuburnMBB big man was a force in the paint 💪 pic.twitter.com/KqOiCSf2M2
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 3, 2022
“This season was a blast for my teammates and I,” Kessler told ESPN. “Winning the SEC regular season and being the No. 1 ranked team in the country for the first time in Auburn history was a dream. I really valued all the time I spent with the coaching staff and everyone around the program. It was so much fun.”
He now moves forward to the NBA where he hopes to do what his father, Chad, did when he was drafted in the fifth round of the 1987 NBA draft. His uncle Alec was also selected in the 1990 draft with the No. 12 pick overall.
The 7-foot-1, 245 pounder, who initially played for North Carolina but transferred last year, brings a solid set of skills as an NBA prospect, especially when it comes to shot-blocking and defensive prowess.
While Auburn fans will be bummed to see him go, his decision to go pro kicked up a lot of reactions from around the NBA and college basketball world.
Walker Kessler went from struggling to find minutes at UNC to an All American, National DPOY in one year.
Hell of a job by Auburn and Kessler to make that happen. https://t.co/Ss9AHY9Kbr
— Jay Phillips (@aubawn) April 3, 2022
Kessler makes a lot of sense for the Rockets and he’ll be in their range at 15th (via BKN). https://t.co/ZUATDgmsQC
— Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) April 3, 2022
Good for him! https://t.co/Z82rYIKG0l
— Nick Pringle Photoshop Account (@BurnerLJohnson) April 3, 2022
oof. knew it was coming. still hurts to see it
go tear up the association @WalkerKessler13 https://t.co/VH4zGtA96T
— Drew Oldham (@orangeanddrew) April 3, 2022
Walker Kessler's one-season improvement, even by recent Auburn under Bruce Pearl standards, is ridiculous
he had crazy per-minute numbers at UNC and somehow exceeded them at Auburn
from the third big man at UNC to National Defensive Player of the Year and first-round draft pick pic.twitter.com/l613LOvX7j
— Justin Ferguson (@JFergusonAU) April 3, 2022
We’ll find out where Kessler is drafted when the 2022 NBA draft takes place on June 23.
[ESPN]
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.