Three days after losing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, North Carolina has lost a promising young player. Freshman Walker Kessler announced on Monday morning that he’s leaving UNC.
“He loves North Carolina, he loves the University, he loves his teammates. He fell in love with the school walking down Franklin Street, so this was a basketball decision only,” a source close to Kessler told Inside Carolina.
The decision was finalized after what a source said was an emotional in-person meeting between Kessler, his father and Roy Williams on Sunday evening.
“While this season did not go as planned for our entire basketball community, the relationships that I have been able to develop this year will forever mean the world to me,” Kessler said in a released statement. “I am honored to have played for an amazing historic program like the University of North Carolina. Gratitude is all I feel for my teammates, coaches, trainers, administration, and staff. During a very difficult year for all of us, they were able to help me to grow as a player and most importantly as a person. After careful and calculated consideration, I will be entering the transfer portal. I wish the entire Carolina family the absolute best in the years ahead. Thank you Tar Heel Nation!”
Kessler averaged 4.4 points and 3.2 rebounds in 8.7 minutes off the bench this season. The 7-foot-1 Newnan, Ga. native faced developmental hurdles during his lone year in Chapel Hill in the form of quarantine absences, knee pain, and a loaded depth chart.
“I think, guys, what people don’t realize is that this young man had two, 14-day close-contact quarantines and he never tested positive,” UNC head coach Roy Williams said last month. That second 14-day stretch was the two weeks right before practice started. And so he missed that time right before practice started … His knees have been giving him problems. I told him he might still be growing.”
That undoubtedly played a role in Kessler starting the season fourth among UNC’s four-man post rotation behind Garrison Brooks, Armando Bacot, and Day’Ron Sharpe. While it took longer than expected for Kessler to grab a bigger role in the rotation, he averaged 8.2 points and 5.3 rebounds in 15.5 minutes over the final 10 games of the season, demonstrating his huge potential in two standout performances.
In a crucial late February matchup against No. 11 Florida State, Kessler’s 20 points (on 9-of-10 shooting), eight rebounds, and four blocks played a big role in UNC overcoming a 16-point deficit. The performance led to Kessler earning ACC Freshman of the Week honors.
“I just love it for the kid because he beats himself up, but he cares,” Williams said of Kessler after the FSU win. “And I’ve said many, many times, give me a kid that cares, that’s a kid that’s going to really get better. So to answer the question, he’s been getting better.”
Two weeks later, Kessler posted 16 points (7-for-11 from the field), 12 rebounds, eight blocks, and two steals vs. Notre Dame in UNC’s ACC Tournament opener against Notre Dame. The block total set a Carolina ACC Tournament record and an ACC Tournament freshman record for blocks.
The consensus Georgia state player of the year, a McDonald’s All-American, and the No. 22-ranked player in the 2020 high school per the 247Sports Composite, Kessler was a big addition – literally – to a six-man Carolina recruiting class that was ranked No. 2 in the nation. He chose UNC over finalists Auburn, Cal, Duke, Gonzaga, and Michigan. His brother, father, and uncle all played basketball for the University of Georgia.
“They showed a bunch of film of Luke Maye and said, ‘This is literally how we are going to use you,’” Kessler said when he committed to UNC in September of 2019. “They said I was a bigger Luke Maye, ‘this is how we want to use you.’ Being a big that can shoot and stretch the floor was really appealing.”
Kessler did not showcase that perimeter game during his freshman season. Most of his made baskets (58% FG) were from close range — he attempted four three-pointers on the season — and he struggled from the free throw line (54%).
“I just think that once I get more comfortable that I’ll be fine,” Kessler said late in the season. “And I do think I will be able to stretch the floor. I know I’ll be able to stretch the floor. I think I’ll be able to drive more. Obviously, that hasn’t presented itself very well. I think that I am not really a big bruiser type but I hustle very hard, so just being able to get hustle rebounds, hustle steals, things like that. And I really think that I have a lot of skill that hasn’t really been showed yet. I think I am more of a skilled big than anything.”
