Walker Kessler sounds like he was bothered by his up and down season

Walker Kessler really went through it in the 2023-2024 season. The big man out of Kentucky was supposed to have an amazing sophomore season for the Utah Jazz, building upon a rookie campaign so good that many saw Kessler as a franchise piece to build around. That, unfortunately, was not something that fans saw Kessler take a step towards.

Kessler's second year was seen in the eyes of many as dissapointing, but it's worth noting that he didn't regress. For those who weren't happy with his play really just cite that he didn't' improve from year to year.

The second-runner up to the 2023 NBA Rookie of the Year Award mostly put up the same numbers from season to season, 9.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks as a rookie, with his stats as a sophomore looking about the same; 8.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks. His shooting percentage dipped, from 72% to 65.4%. His defense also dipped a bit, with his defensive box plus-minus going from +1.5 to +1.3.

None of these numbers represent a huge dip, and can mostly be explained away due to inconsistent playing time from Jazz head coach Will Hardy.

Apparently, the fans weren't the only ones unhappy with his season, as Kessler also had an issue with how his season went, telling the media (via Sports Illustrated);

"Definitely was an interesting year. I think, personally, saw the hills and valleys. A lot of ups and downs, but I learned a lot this year...

...I did a lot better of that towards the end of the year. And understanding that the path to being the best possible player I can be is not going to be straight going up. Understanding not to be discouraged by difficult times, or times where I don't get what I'm supposed to get."

It certainly sounds like Kessler felt he deserved more than what he got. Whether it was playing time, a bigger role on the team, or even if he's just referring to plays he didn't make. It sure sounds like Kessler is leaving the 2023-2024 season upset and hopefully motivated.