Bruce Pearl on Walker Kessler: 'He's explosive and he knows it'
Auburn men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl recently joined the Locked On Heat Podcast to discuss Walker Kessler and what he could do for the Heat if Miami were to select him in the NBA Draft.
When asked about what made him special as a rim protector, coach gushed over his former five-star center.
"(His height) is an important piece to the equation. He's a different huge. He's 7-foot-1 and little big. He's got another level length," Bruce Pearl said. "Think about blocking a shot and think about literally the centimeters between actually getting it, deflecting it, and actually coming close to it. So that size and length matters."
According to Pearl, Kessler's abilities may also be deceiving, despite his statistical dominance. "Now, the other thing that I don't think anybody was really aware of is that I would every now and then remind Walker to 'stop playing like a big 7-foot-1 slow white guy because you're not.' He's athletic, he's explosive, he's fast, and he knows it. But every now and then when you're 7-foot-1... when you're carrying 260 around, every now and then you want to play like all of the other 7-foot-1, 260 guys. Except he's not."
Pearl believes that's why opponents occasionally fall asleep at the rim against Kessler. "And that's why I think people think 'ahh, there's now way he gets to (that shot).' And then he gets to it."
Kessler was named the 2022 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, recording an astounding 4.6 blocks per game. Should the Heat select Kessler, he would be a fine addition to a front-court that needs depth behind star center Bam Adebayo.
The 2022 NBA Draft begins Thursday, June 23rd.
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