Wednesday was an exciting night for Auburn Basketball fans, as five former players opened the season with their respective NBA teams.
One former Tiger, in particular, had a night to remember in his professional debut.
[autotag]Walker Kessler[/autotag], who spent the 2021-22 season with Auburn after transferring from North Carolina, had a historic debut with the Utah Jazz.
In Wednesday’s 123-102 Jazz win over the Denver Nuggets, Kessler recorded a double-double and went 100% from the floor. That stat line is one that has never been accomplished by a rookie in NBA history.
Kessler went 5-for-5 from the field, scoring 12 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in the season-opening win. He was one of seven players to reach double digits in scoring for the Jazz.
Kessler has settled down in Utah following a wild journey to open his NBA career. Originally drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies, he was traded on NBA Draft Night to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Then, 10 days later, he was involved in the blockbuster trade that sent Rudy Gobert to Minnesota.
Speaking of the Minnesota Timberwolves, that is the next opponent on deck for Kessler and the Utah Jazz. The Jazz and Timberwolves tip-off Friday night at 7 p.m. CT in Minneapolis.
Walker Kessler is the first player in NBA history to record a double-double and shoot 100% from the floor in their rookie debut.
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) October 20, 2022
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