Three days after losing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, North Carolina lost a promising young player. Freshman Walker Kessler announced on Monday morning that he is leaving UNC.
“He loves North Carolina, he loves the University, he loves his teammates. He fell in love with school when he went down Franklin Street, so that was a decision just for basketball,” a source close to Kessler told Inside Carolina.
The decision was finalized after what a source said was an emotional personal meeting between Kessler, his father and Roy Williams on Sunday night.
“Although this season has not gone as planned for our entire basketball community, the relationships I have been able to develop this year will forever mean the world to me,” Kessler said in a statement. “I am honored to have played on an incredible historic program like the University of North Carolina. Gratitude is all I feel for my teammates, coaches, coaches, management and staff. During a very difficult year for all of us, they were able to to help me grow as a player and most importantly as a person. After careful and calculated consideration, I will enter the transfer portal. I wish the entire Carolina family the absolute best in the years to come. Thank you Tar Heel Nation! “
Kessler averaged 4.4 points and 3.2 rebounds in 8.7 minutes off the bench this season. The 2.13-meter-tall Newnan, Georgia native faced developmental obstacles during his lonely year at Chapel Hill in the form of quarantine absences, knee pain and a loaded depth chart.
“I think, folks, what people don’t realize is that this young man had two quarantines in contact for close to 14 days and never tested positive,” said UNC coach Roy Williams last month. This second 14-day stretch was the two weeks immediately prior to the start of training. And then he missed that moment just before training started … His knees have been causing him problems. I told him that he may still be growing. “
This undoubtedly played a role at the start of Kessler’s season in fourth place among the rotation of posts by four UNC men, behind Garrison Brooks, Armando Bacot and Day’Ron Sharpe. Although it took longer than expected for Kessler to take on a bigger role in the rotation, he averaged 8.2 points and 5.3 rebounds in 15.5 minutes in the last 10 games of the season, demonstrating his enormous potential in two presentations standout.
In a crucial showdown in late February against Florida State No. 11, Kessler’s 20 points (out of 9 out of 10 shots), eight rebounds and four blocks played a big role in the UNC overcoming the 16-point deficit. The performance led Kessler to receive the ACC Freshman of the Week honors.
“I love it for the boy because he hits himself, but he cares,” Williams said of Kessler after the FSU victory. “And I have said many, many times, give me a child who cares, that child who will really improve. So, to answer the question, he is improving. “
Two weeks later, Kessler posted 16 points (7 out of 11 on the field), 12 rebounds, eight blocks and two steals against Notre Dame at the opening of the UNC ACC tournament against Notre Dame. The block total set a Carolina ACC tournament record and a freshman ACC tournament record for blocks.
The consensual player of the year in the state of Georgia, a McDonald’s All-American and the No. 22 player in the 2020 high school ranking by 247Sports Composite, Kessler was a great addition – literally – to a six-man recruiting class in Carolina that was ranked No. 2 in the country. He chose UNC over finalists Auburn, Cal, Duke, Gonzaga and Michigan. Her brother, father and uncle played basketball for the University of Georgia.
“They showed a lot of Luke Maye films and said, ‘This is literally how we’re going to use you,'” said Kessler when he committed to UNC in September 2019. “They said I was a bigger Luke Maye,” he said. Kessler. this is how we want to use you. ‘Being a big one who can shoot and stretch the ground was really attractive. “
Kessler did not present that perimeter game during his freshman season. Most of his baskets made (58% FG) came from close range – he tried four three points this season – and he fought on the free throw line (54%).
“I just think that once I get more comfortable, I’ll be fine,” said Kessler at the end of the season. “And I think I’m going to be able to stretch the floor. I to meet I’ll be able to stretch the floor. I think I’ll be able to drive more. Obviously, this did not come out very well. I think I’m not really a big, hard-hitting type, but I fight a lot, so just being able to get rebounds, fight steals, things like that. And I really think I have a lot of skills that haven’t been shown yet. I think I am more of a skilled person than anything. “