For the past week Walker Kessler has been lifting his game to new heights. Despite this he only averages 20 minutes per game.
Yet with his lack of more playing time he still produces at the highest level. This guy has potential to be an All Star someday!
1. Walker Kessler
UTA • C • #24
PPG15.3
RPG13.3
BPG3.3
If there were a Defensive Rookie of the Year Kessler would run away with the award. It's not every day you see a first-year player come into the league and immediately make an impact on the defensive side of the ball. So when a rookie comes along and shows they have what it takes to defend at a high level as soon as they enter the league, you take notice. His speed and movement for a big man is excellent.
Enter Kessler, a 7-0 center who has become a rim protection savant in Utah, filling the void left behind by
Rudy Gobert. In a matchup against Gobert and the
Timberwolves, Kessler posted 20 points and 21 rebounds, becoming the first
Jazz rookie to have a 20-point, 20-rebound game in franchise history. He's also the first rookie in league history to post that stat line since
Gorgui Dieng did it in 2014. By the way, nine of those 21 rebounds were on the offensive end, and yes, Gobert played in that game, showing that Kessler is more than capable of holding his own against a multiple Defensive Player of the Year winner. The kid is a man already and does not play like a typical 21 year old.
But what really stood out aside from the rebounds and the second-chance opportunities, is just how well Kessler moves on defense, even when athletic guards are moving downhill toward the rim.