Auburn Basketball’s second selection in the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft has officially been introduced by his new squad.
[autotag]Walker Kessler[/autotag], the 22nd overall pick in this year’s draft, met with the media on Tuesday for the first time as a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Kessler was joined alongside fellow draft picks Wendell Moore Jr. and Josh Minnot at Target Center in Minneapolis, where they fielded questions from the media.
One of the questions that Kessler was asked, was about his defensive ability. The reigning National Defensive Player of the Year said that playing defense is something he has not always been known for.
“High school years, I didn’t know what defense was,” said Kessler. “I was just a stretch big, skilled big, offensive player, that’s all I did.”
Because of that, Kessler entered Auburn lacking confidence in his ability to be a great defender. Head coach Bruce Pearl knew that Kessler had the makings to be a stellar defensive player, and worked with him all season to perfect the craft.
During the introductory press conference, it was revealed that Kessler will wear No. 31 for the Wolves.
Here’s a first look at Kessler as a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves: