UNC's Walker Kessler Enters Transfer Portal
One of the nation's most talented big men is back on the market, and it's a player with strong ties to Georgia basketball.
North Carolina center Walker Kessler entered the transfer portal on Monday, days after his team lost to Wisconsin in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. According to Inside Carolina, Kessler made his decision after a meeting between him, his father (Chad Kessler) and UNC coach Roy Williams.
Kessler is a talented center with a load of potential, but he rarely got to show it at North Carolina. COVID-19 quarantines slowed his development and the Tar Heels were already deep in the post. Those two factors buried Kessler down the depth chart early in the season.
When Kessler did have opportunities, he usually delivered. He earned ACC Freshman of the Week honors for his performance in North Carolina's comeback victory over No. 11 Florida State. Kessler scored 20 points, grabbed eight boards and blocked four shots.
Kessler scored 16 points and grabbed 12 rebounds against Notre Dame in the ACC Tournament. That was the first double-double of his college career, but he nearly accomplished a triple-double. Kessler ended the game with eight blocked shots.
Over the last 10 games of the season, he averaged 8.2 points with 5.3 rebounds. Kessler scored in double-figures five times in those last 10 outings.
Kessler was considered a potential one-and-done player coming out of Woodward Academy in Atlanta. He was the Georgia state player of the year and a McDonald's All-American. Most recruiting sites listed him as a five-star prospect.
If the last name Kessler sounds familiar, it's because Walker's father, uncle and brother all played basketball at Georgia. His father Chad Kessler played from 1983-1987. He appeared in 108 games across his four seasons and started all 30 games his senior year. His brother Houston Kessler was a solid bench player from 2013-2017 and he started 14 games as a junior.
The biggest star in the family was his uncle Alec Kessler. He averaged 14.5 points and 7.3 rebounds over his four seasons (1986-1990) in Athens. As a senior, Alec Kessler averaged a double-double with 21 points and 10.3 boards. That year, Georgia won the SEC regular-season championship.
Head coach Tom Crean hopes those family ties bring Walker Kessler back to Athens. Georgia is in desperate need of a big man. The Bulldogs are in the running for SI99 power forward Michel Foster. He would certainly be an upgrade to Georgia's low post, but Kessler is a true center at 7-foot-1 and 245 pounds.
Signing one would be huge for Georgia, but signing both could change the complexion of the program. With Foster and/or Kessler joining Sahvir Wheeler, K.D. Johnson and Toumani Camara, the Bulldogs would certainly be one of the favorites to win the SEC Championship in 2022.
