DWW says Walker Kessler draft pick for Timberwolves ‘worth smiling over’

Dunking With Wolves site expert Bret Struter called the Walker Kessler 2022 NBA Draft pick one ‘worth smiling over‘ following the Auburn Tigers’ 2022 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year’s ascension to becoming an NBA professional on Thursday night.

Kessler joins an intriguing young Minnesota Timberwolves core led by 2x All-NBA Third Team big man Karl-Anthony Towns and 2021 NBA All-Rookie First Teamer Anthony Edwards. While the pair comes from some of AU’s hardwood rivals (Kentucky and Georgia respectively) they do offer Kessler a spectacular one-two punch to set him up offensively.

The rest of the lineup is not clear at this point. Patrick Beverley and D’Angelo Russell are both potential offseason trade candidates while the Wolves front office needs to figure out if Jarred Vanderbilt or Jaden McDaniels is the answer at PF, assuming Towns will continue to man the center position.

Still, Kessler is set to step into a pivotal role regardless for Minnesota, whose only other pure center on the roster is Naz Reid. Struter optimistically shouted out what that role could look like in his rookie season:

"“This pick has Tim Connelly’s fingerprints all over it. The Minnesota Timberwolves needed: Defense, front-court help, and a playmaker.  They may have hit the Trifecta in this pick, folks. He is a big-bodied center who can deliver the defense and rebounding that is so very important to the Timberwolves roster. He does his damage in the paint, so you won’t see him stray to the arc to try his hand at dropping three-pointers. As far as shots in his arsenal, he can dominate around the rim and has the makings of a nice mid-range shot. From the description of what the Timberwolves were looking for? They most certainly have gotten their man.”"

Clearly, the hype that Walker Kessler created on the Plains has NBA fans blessed with bringing him aboard hyped for the future of their franchise he’ll be patrolling the paint for.