Auburn basketball fans react to claim that Walker Kessler’s exit led to UNC’s success
Former Auburn basketball star center Walker Kessler–fresh off of declaring for the 2022 NBA Draft this past Sunday–is having his name slung through the mud in a most unfair manner.
Kessler’s departure from North Carolina, who defeated Duke in the Final Four to both end the legendary coaching career of Blue Devils HC ‘Coach K’ and advance to the finals of the March Madness tournament, is somehow being credited for why the Tar Heels have made it this far.
NBA.com video host Beau Estes brought Kessler’s parents into the conversation and claimed there’d be no Brady Manek transfer to UNC if the seven-foot-one Naismith Men’s Defensive Player of the Year never left.
Auburn basketball fans weren’t happy with the sentiment, to say the least:
considering Roy/Hubie have 0 clue how to use a player like WK even somewhat effectively, maybe i guess?
— Drew Oldham (@orangeanddrew) April 3, 2022
except UNC isn’t even close to the team Auburn was this year. i’m sure this run has been very fun but calling Walker’s departure a “horrible decision” is just beyond laughable https://t.co/seLSMrWKmX
If you want to frame this idea around simply how it affects UNC, sure. Have fun. But Walker Kessler went from playing a single digit number of minutes, Bacot returned, and Walker played himself into being the National Defensive Player of the Year and a 1st round pick at Auburn. https://t.co/AZnTsEosJg
— Pablo Escobarner (blue chek) (@PabloEscoburner) April 3, 2022
Kessler went from playing single minutes a game and the guy in front of his was coming back. He transferred won defensive player of the year and got himself to a projected 1st round pick. Wouldn’t call that a “horrible mistake”
— Noah Golden (@cantbeatgold) April 3, 2022
Brady Manek was decent offensively, but also allowed 20+ points in the paint last night single handedly.
— oxford con (@oxthecon) April 3, 2022
Walker Kessler will be a first round draft pick, won an SEC Title, and Defensive Player of the Year.
“Horrible Mistake” reflects poorly on your knowledge of the game.
Tiger fans had every right dunking on Estes just as Kessler dunked on SEC opponents all season en route to the Tigers’ 2021-22 Regular Season SEC Championship.
And luckily, Kessler will have plenty of time thinking about his ‘horrible mistake’ as he rides a private team plane from city to city next season on an NBA contract.