2021 5* UNC Transfer C Walker Kessler (4/12/21: Commits To AU!)

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,662]

1 hour ago, gravejd said:

I mean I’m shocked over this one. The team next year is going to have so much talent and firepower at all positions. We are going to have expectations like this program has never seen before. Hope our boys are ready for it. 
 

welcome to AU Mr Kessler! Should of been here all along but glad to have you now!

I was thinking about this earlier, but this might've actually been the best case scenario. This is definitely a guy who had one and done aspirations, and he would've had the green light from everywhere with Coop and Powell missing time. We might've only gotten one meaningless year

That's my philosophical POV

[NoALtiger 3,852]

With this team that Bruce is putting together and the home crowds that will finally be back, Auburn Arena is gonna be a madhouse. 

[mcgufcm 4,096]

2 hours ago, lutzcammed said:

Does anyone remember that Powell kid?

I remember, and I look forward to continuing a Pearl-era Auburn tradition of beating UTjr.

[Rednilla 5,390]

5 hours ago, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

I was thinking about this earlier, but this might've actually been the best case scenario. This is definitely a guy who had one and done aspirations, and he would've had the green light from everywhere with Coop and Powell missing time. We might've only gotten one meaningless year

That's my philosophical POV

Uh...we still might only get one year. It's not the least bit out of the scope of possibility that he blows up and we have 2-3 lottery picks on the team next season (presuming Thor comes back and continues to develop).

[Rednilla 5,390]

Man, this leaves in play the possibility of having Jabari, Kessler, and Thor on the court at the same time, all three of whom are 6'10+ and can shoot the three. If Scoot decides to reclassify, then with him at point and Flanigan at the 2, I somehow doubt there would bee a taller lineup in college basketball. Heck, that would rival the top PRO teams in terms of height across the board...

[ellitor 33,091]

7 hours ago, gravejd said:

The team next year is going to have so much talent and firepower at all positions

Not yet. Still need one more guard.

[ellitor 33,091]

1 hour ago, Rednilla said:

Flanigan at the 2

@Rednilla Will be interesting to see how it works out now that we have so much talent on the roster but Pearl had been pretty adamant on not playing Flan at the two anymore.

[AUpreacherman22 3,885]

Wow!!!!  War Eagle!!!!  Huge news!!!

[augolf1716 21,109]

Not to toot my own horn and lord knows I don't like to brag about myself but told ya'll we had a great chance. 

We were so close the first time in getting him.

[mcgufcm 4,096]

3 hours ago, ellitor said:

@Rednilla Will be interesting to see how it works out now that we have so much talent on the roster but Pearl had been pretty adamant on not playing Flan at the two anymore.

I know Pearl has said that, but honestly, he’s completely capable of playing 2 for stretches. I wouldn’t want that to be his primary role, but playing him with Green (a true primary PG) wouldn’t be too much to ask. He’s a solid secondary ball handler and mushes guys as a weak side playmaker opposite the primary PNR. If we sign Sills, we’ll probably ask Al to play less 2, but he can certainly do it if we want to play Cambridge as a backup 3.

[Rednilla 5,390]

3 hours ago, ellitor said:

@Rednilla Will be interesting to see how it works out now that we have so much talent on the roster but Pearl had been pretty adamant on not playing Flan at the two anymore.

I think that's probably for the best, tbh, but I was more talking about the potential to go with the super tall lineup if desired. Heck, I guess it might be more likely that Cambridge plays the 2, and he's listed at the same height as Flanigan, so that would serve the same effect I was going for anyway. I don't know if Cambridge will play the 2 much, either, though.

[Rednilla 5,390]

55 minutes ago, augolf1716 said:

Not to toot my own horn and lord knows I don't like to brag about myself but told ya'll we had a great chance. 

We were so close the first time in getting him.

Be sure to check your depends to ensure your horn was the only thing that tooted....

[augolf1716 21,109]

1 minute ago, Rednilla said:

Be sure to check your depends to ensure your horn was the only thing that tooted....

Don't mess with my toot toot

 

[ellitor 33,091]

1 hour ago, augolf1716 said:

Not to toot my own horn

@augolf1716 At your age does it still toot?

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,662]

6 hours ago, Rednilla said:

Uh...we still might only get one year. It's not the least bit out of the scope of possibility that he blows up and we have 2-3 lottery picks on the team next season (presuming Thor comes back and continues to develop).

... Think deeply about the value of this year versus last year. Deeply

[steeleagle 2,945]

1 hour ago, mcgufcm said:

I know Pearl has said that, but honestly, he’s completely capable of playing 2 for stretches. I wouldn’t want that to be his primary role, but playing him with Green (a true primary PG) wouldn’t be too much to ask. He’s a solid secondary ball handler and mushes guys as a weak side playmaker opposite the primary PNR. If we sign Sills, we’ll probably ask Al to play less 2, but he can certainly do it if we want to play Cambridge as a backup 3.

I really don't want Flanigan at the 2, unless Zep doesn't perform well from the outside shooting. Flanigan is NOT a solid secondary ball handler mainly bc he is not a quick dribble drive guy that far out, and bc he can't outquick those outside guards that guard him, too many times he just decided to jack a long 3 pointer. 

He's best when he is inside the circle or has a 3 defender on him and he can use his power and drive closer in to the basket. He also is a pretty good rebounder at the 3. 

He would be #3 behind Zep and Alexander, if they both adjust and can score adequately from 3 pt line...

[fredst 9,064]

2 hours ago, augolf1716 said:

Not to toot my own horn and lord knows I don't like to brag about myself but told ya'll we had a great chance. 

We were so close the first time in getting him.

 

[Rednilla 5,390]

35 minutes ago, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

... Think deeply about the value of this year versus last year. Deeply

Oh, no, I agree, with the postseason ban and all. I was basically just being a smartass, pointing out that there's still a pretty good chance that he is only playing for Auburn one season.

[mcgufcm 4,096]

1 hour ago, steeleagle said:

I really don't want Flanigan at the 2, unless Zep doesn't perform well from the outside shooting. Flanigan is NOT a solid secondary ball handler mainly bc he is not a quick dribble drive guy that far out, and bc he can't outquick those outside guards that guard him, too many times he just decided to jack a long 3 pointer. 

He's best when he is inside the circle or has a 3 defender on him and he can use his power and drive closer in to the basket. He also is a pretty good rebounder at the 3. 

He would be #3 behind Zep and Alexander, if they both adjust and can score adequately from 3 pt line...

I'll just agree to disagree there. He was overmatched as a primary ballhandler when Cooper and/or Powell were off the floor (and before we moved Johnson to point), but he was good as a secondary ballhandler. He's a solid outside shooter (34% on 5 3PAs per game), and he's one of the best post scorers on this team. When we allowed him to take a smaller guy inside, he was very efficient. I don't want him having to out quick a guy, but when we have shooters on the floor and use him on the backside of the primary action, he's more than capable as a ballhandler/shot creator. 

He spent a not-insignificant amount of time this season as our only capable player creating his own shot or making plays for other people. That happened when Powell sat (early in the year), when Cooper sat (later), and when Cooper was hurt. Flanigan was asked to carry a heavy load and his efficiency (and on-ball defense) took a hit because of it. He's somehow still an underrated player.

I'm very excited to see his offensive burden lessen next year so he can get back to being an on-ball DOG on defense. He was as a freshman. He showed flashes last year. I want to see that energy full time with his playmaking load lessened next year.

[mcgufcm 4,096]

Interesting note on Flanigan. Last year, he posted a higher true shooting percentage (which factors in shooting from FT, 2, and 3) than Cooper or Powell or Zep Jasper or Wendell Green. Even with playing out of position, he was really good.

[autan 737]

I'm a big fan of AF's game all phases. Admittedly I do get a little nervous when he's dribbling around with clock running down and is sometimes forced to throw up a bad shot. I don't believe he sees the floor as well as some of the other combos. But he has come so far from his freshman year, it's unbelievable. His minutes may go down a little if Thor comes back and we get another transfer or two.  But we need Flannigan on the floor somewhere at crunch time that's for sure.

[augolf1716 21,109]

3 hours ago, ellitor said:

@augolf1716 At your age does it still toot?

Damn straight it does

[steeleagle 2,945]

23 minutes ago, autan said:

I'm a big fan of AF's game all phases. Admittedly I do get a little nervous when he's dribbling around with clock running down and is sometimes forced to throw up a bad shot. I don't believe he sees the floor as well as some of the other combos. But he has come so far from his freshman year, it's unbelievable. His minutes may go down a little if Thor comes back and we get another transfer or two.  But we need Flannigan on the floor somewhere at crunch time that's for sure.

I'll agree with this more in describing Flan. His peripheral vision is not great, and he is best when he has to use power and strength on his drives, and he has improved on avoiding the charge like he did his freshman and earlier in this year'. I agree he needs to be on the floor when we need D or someone that can cause them to foul. 

He probably of all the sophomores improved the most from year 1 to 2.  

[chizhead 618]

After a morning of planting tomatoes, and almost overheating (at my age thats a lot easier to do than I thought) I came in to rest and re-hydrate. I got on utube and watched video of Kessler for probably an hour. I honestly didn't know he was that good. I saw UNC play some last season and when he came in, he looked out of place and frankly, overhyped. The video that I saw this morning says otherwise. There is a pretty long vid of him going against Jabari Smith in high school and its just, hot damn awesome. Those two put on a show in that game. I watched videos of Kessler in his late season games where he got more playing time and he looked a total opposite of the games that I saw him play live. He is much more agile than I thought.

J. Smith will only be here one year because he is something special and I am very quickly taking that position with Kessler. 3 days ago I didn't give a s*** where Kessler went because I was of the mind that he was an overhyped attention *****. I stand corrected on at least one of those. He ain't overhyped. He might like all the attention but thats okay by me after watching these videos.

The little PG Green? That guy is going to be special,too. I think BP stole one right there. I see a little bit of Cooper and Harper in him. Give us one more SG and we are set up nicely.

Hooks has insinuated that Thor is not coming back, so that is a bit of a downer there. Hooks is wrong on occasion, but not often. It would be nice if this is one of those times

[1TexasTiger 55]

15 minutes ago, chizhead said:

After a morning of planting tomatoes, and almost overheating (at my age thats a lot easier to do than I thought) I came in to rest and re-hydrate. I got on utube and watched video of Kessler for probably an hour. I honestly didn't know he was that good. I saw UNC play some last season and when he came in, he looked out of place and frankly, overhyped. The video that I saw this morning says otherwise. There is a pretty long vid of him going against Jabari Smith in high school and its just, hot damn awesome. Those two put on a show in that game. I watched videos of Kessler in his late season games where he got more playing time and he looked a total opposite of the games that I saw him play live. He is much more agile than I thought.

J. Smith will only be here one year because he is something special and I am very quickly taking that position with Kessler. 3 days ago I didn't give a s*** where Kessler went because I was of the mind that he was an overhyped attention *****. I stand corrected on at least one of those. He ain't overhyped. He might like all the attention but thats okay by me after watching these videos.

The little PG Green? That guy is going to be special,too. I think BP stole one right there. I see a little bit of Cooper and Harper in him. Give us one more SG and we are set up nicely.

Hooks has insinuated that Thor is not coming back, so that is a bit of a downer there. Hooks is wrong on occasion, but not often. It would be nice if this is one of those times

Bryce Thompson Fr Guard from Kansas just entered the transfer portal and has a good relationship with our incoming freshman Trey Alexander