Auburn Tigers center Walker Kessler told Jonathan Givony of ESPN that he will hire an agent and enter the 2022 NBA draft, forgoing his remaining collegiate eligibility.
Kessler, who transferred last year from North Carolina, was named the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year after averaging 11.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.6 blocked shots and 1.1 steals in 34 games. He led the SEC in blocks and ranked second among all Division I players.
He was also voted a third-team All-American by the AP.
The 7-foot-1 center is widely considered to be a first-round pick. He has been compared some to Brook Lopez given his ability to protect the paint and work inside on offense. He wasn’t used much as a floor spacer but has good form and should improve with more reps.
🙏 pic.twitter.com/diXi5SxbxQ
— Walker Kessler (@WalkerKessler13) April 3, 2022
Kessler will have the opportunity to participate in private workouts with teams in the coming weeks to improve his draft stock. He also figures to be a strong candidate to earn an invitation to compete in the draft combine next month.
The 2022 NBA draft will take place on June 23.
This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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