Ranking the Utah Jazz’s FIBA 5 after the first two rounds of the tournament
By Chad Porto
Team USA’s Walker Kessler – Center
Per Game Average – 6 minutes, 3.6 points (57% overall+from TWO, 29%) 0.8 rebounds, BPM +2.6, 3.6 EFF
It’s sad to think about how Walker Kessler has been used for Team USA. Clearly, Team USA’s head coach, Steve Kerr, wanted someone with the size and defensive ability of Kessler; just in case. But if his last near-decade in Golden State is any idea of what we should’ve expected, he was likely to never really give Kessler minutes.
After all, the Golden State Warriors have tried to play without a real center ever since they traded Andrew Bogut. The Warriors like smaller, quicker lineups, and so far that’s played to Team USA’s benefit, especially behind the breakout skills of Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, and Austin Reeves.
The score-first offense of Team USA has largely caused Kessler to be relegated to cleanup time when the game is out of hand, but even though that’s when Kessler’s called in, he still does his job at a high level. Clearly, the FIBA World Cup is not the avenue in which Kessler was going to break out like so many of us hoped.
He’ll just have to use the regular season as that time, as the Jazz will surely put him in the position to succeed.