Can Walker Kessler possibly hope to fill the Rudy Gobert-sized hole the utahjazz now have on their roster?
The rookie center has many of the same attributes as Rudy Gobert — a drop-big, shot-blocking menace with limited post moves — but also brings his own unique attributes and personality.
He also wisely avoided making any promises about what he can achieve, while vowing to follow the characteristics of Gobert that he can have some control over — working hard, adhering to the Jazz coaching staff’s mandates, and bringing a cerebral approach to the game. “His timing and how he attacks the ball in a strategic way, it’s very analytical: watching film, understanding what that guard’s gonna do, understanding when to jump, when to be vertical, when to attack the ball. I think that I approach the defensive side of the game a lot differently than a lot of other players do,” Kessler said. “It’s not just about blocking shots, it’s about how you block those shots, and how to stay out of foul trouble, when to attack and when to just be in the way.
He is, at least, an adept screen-setter, and a great option at the rim in pick-and-roll sets — hitting 70.2% of his two-point attempts at Auburn.While he suffered a minor toe injury during the predraft process that “set [him] back a bit” and prompted the Jazz’s training staff to hold him out of Las Vegas Summer League play as he works on his conditioning, Kessler said he feels “great” and was excited to get cleared.
The self-described “pretty interesting guy” has other loves, too. Being home-schooled for a year led to mass consumption of books such as “Harry Potter,” “Lord of the Rings,” and “Eragon,” which had the cumulative effect of making him a “big nerd.” His dad and brother got him into classic rock bands such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, and he took up playing the guitar 4 or 5 years ago. He also plays another sport, and is extremely competitive about it.
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