It is not easy to fill the boots of a 3-time Defensive Player of the Year like Rudy Gobert, but Walker Kessler has done just about as well as a rookie can do. The 21-year-old has averaged 8.2 PPG, 7.7 RPG, and 2.1 BPG for a Jazz squad that has greatly overachieved this season.
He was rewarded for his efforts with a spot in the Rising Stars Challenge and he looks set for a bright future. While Kessler is on his way to establishing himself as one of the finest rim protectors in the league, he still has some ways to go before he can slow down the truly elite players in the game.
One of the best bigs in the game today is Joel Embiid and when Kessler was asked about his experience playing against Embiid for the first time, he had a hilarious response.
Walker Kessler was asked about his experience in his first time playing Joel Embiid:
“I think he had 60, 14, 7 assists, and 7 blocks. So, you tell me” 💀💀💀
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— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 17, 2023
Walker Kessler was asked about his experience in his first time playing Joel Embiid:
“I think he had 60, 14, 7 assists, and 7 blocks. So, you tell me”
Embiid had 59 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists, and 7 blocks that night in what was his best performance of the season. Kessler played less than 12 minutes in that game though and by the time their next meeting came around, he was in the starting lineup for the Jazz. Embiid still had 30 points, and although Kessler limited him to 7 rebounds, the veteran would have the last laugh, drilling the game-winner over him.
The Jazz Consider Walker Kessler As One Of Their Untradeable Players
There was a lot of interest around the NBA in acquiring players from the Jazz and they were willing to part ways with quite a few of them. Two players they weren’t going to trade though were Lauri Markkanen and Kessler, which shows just how highly they value him.
The Jazz now have two very good foundational pieces for their rebuild. It will be interesting to see how they approach this situation moving forward, considering all the draft picks they have at their disposal. If they play their cards correctly, they might be able to contend fairly soon.
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