Walker Kessler

About

Walker Ross Kessler (born July 26, 2001) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels and Auburn Tigers.

Kessler played basketball for Woodward Academy in College Park, Georgia. In his senior season, he averaged 17.8 points, 9.3 rebounds and 5.2 blocks per game, leading his team to its first Class 4A state title. During his time at Woodward, he played on the varsity basketball team with Golden State Warriors guard, Will Richard, who was also on the 2020 state championship team. Kessler was named The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Player of the Year, Mr. Georgia Basketball and Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year. He was a McDonald’s All-American selection. Kessler competed for Game Elite on the Amateur Athletic Union circuit. His jersey hangs outside of the varsity gym at Woodward Academy.
A consensus five-star recruit and one of the top centers in the 2020 class, he committed to playing college basketball for North Carolina over offers from Duke, Michigan, Virginia and Vanderbilt, among others.