MBB-Former 5* UNC Freshman C Walker Kessler Transferring
7'1 Walker Kessler is choosing to transfer from UNC after his freshman year. He was the number 22 player in the country according to the 247 composite rankings and Michigan was very much involved in his recruiting. Could be someone to kick the tires on for the staff and create a new twin towers combo of Dickinson and Kessler.
— Walker Kessler (@WalkerKessler13) March 22, 2021
March 22nd, 2021 at 10:49 AM ^
Damn, this is big news. Sam Webb has said on his show that Michigan likely would've gotten Kessler if Beliein never left so we could be in play here
Also, if you're a 5-star, Idk why you'd go to UNC anymore. It seems like every 5-star who goes there either doesn't get minutes and/or your draft stock gets ruined. Coby White is the only 5-star in recent memory who wasn't underwhelming or mismanaged
5-stars like to be the CENTER of attention (yes, pun intended).
Guessing with Hunter's breakout season, he won't want to come play 2nd fiddle. I mean, it would be nice to roll out 2 7+ footers but realistically probably wouldn't be a common set - so playing time might be tough to manage. Hunter plays a LOT of minutes for a freshman.
March 22nd, 2021 at 11:05 AM ^
All Kessler has to do is look at the play of this Freshman and see that he can also developed to be an NBA first round pick.
March 22nd, 2021 at 11:23 AM ^
Or Austin Davis, for that matter. The fact that he’s a legitimate back up, despite his obvious physical limitations, speaks volumes of JH’s ability to develop big men
March 22nd, 2021 at 10:51 AM ^
This is big! If it works for us, I'd love to have him! Can't say there is any big man in the game that doesn't have something to learn from Juwan
March 22nd, 2021 at 11:19 AM ^
What's the scholarship situation????? NCAA Men's teams can have 13 scholarship players
We know Austin Davis is done (1 for next year)
Have to believe Wagner is going into the draft (2)
I believe Livers is done (3)
Smith and Brooks are technically done or they could take advantage of the NCAA's extra year rule for COVID (4 & 5 assuming both leave)
Chaundee is a senior but I believe he has another year of eligibility but if he leaves ..(6???)
Right now I believe there is either one unused scholarship or they gave it last second to a walk on. (7)
We have SIX (6) players committed in the incoming class (Caleb Houston, Mousa Diabate, Kobe Bufkin, Frankie Collins, Isaiah Barnes and Will Tschetter).
If everyone mentioned above left I think the only scholarship guys returning from this year's team are Dickenson, Zeb, Terrence Williams, Brandon Johns, Adrien Nunez and Jace (6 definitely returning players).
Moral of the story is assuming none of the six returning guys leaves/gets processed there is one scholarship available to either bring back one of Chaundee/Eli Brooks/Mike Smith OR take a transfer from the portal. I guess only other possibility is if Jace gave up his scholarship.
March 22nd, 2021 at 11:30 AM ^
Has the NCAA come out and said the scholarship limitations remain the same? Seems like they would have to adjust if everyone is allowed to redshirt.
March 22nd, 2021 at 12:11 PM ^
My understanding of it (now it could be wrong, but this is how I believe it is going) is that everyone who chooses to come back for that additional year can do so if the school wants to pay for the scholarship for that additional year. Schools will still only be allowed to have 13 players on scholarship, with the university picking up the added cost of the ones who choose to continue to stay.
If someone else has a better understanding and needs to correct this, please do so. But given everything I have read, I believe the limit stays at 13 and it is on the schools to cover the cost for the ones who choose to play with that additional year.
March 22nd, 2021 at 12:19 PM ^
Everybody with exhausted eligibility can come back and not count against scholarship limits...including Davis. Right now we are at 13, but Franz leaving would free up one.
I think Nunez is a pretty strong candidate to get a firm handshake after this season.
March 22nd, 2021 at 10:51 AM ^
already have Diabete coming in next year
March 22nd, 2021 at 11:06 AM ^
I don't see why all 3 couldn't play. Dickinson is a true 5, Diabate is more of a 4 but could play the 5 and Kessler is a stretch 5 who could probably see minutes at the 4
March 22nd, 2021 at 11:09 AM ^
Dickinson and Kessler on the floor together is a great way for a 5-out opponent to tear us up. Also, Johns will still be here.
March 22nd, 2021 at 11:20 AM ^
Dickinson has shown he's mobile enough to be out on the perimeter sometimes and Kessler is pretty mobile defensively as well. And I think the offensive potential there is huge (literally)
March 22nd, 2021 at 12:57 PM ^
I agree with this. But to counter that, how much would our bigs tear them up as well? And if it's an issue, you can still go smaller. I think it's something that could be tinkered with if it were available.
March 22nd, 2021 at 12:30 PM ^
We need a backup center next year. Dickinson could start and then Kessler could come and play back up minutes. And with his stretch, itd give the offense additional versatility.
Diabete would best be utilized as a 4 (tho I'm sure he would function okay as a 5) which means he could play with either Dickinson or Kessler.
I don't see why Michigan wouldnt try and go for it
Presumably Kessler is transferring because he wants to start. He won’t start at Michigan. End of story.
Kessler is a stretch 5 (was this sarcasm) that took FOUR three point shots all year and missed almost half of his foul shots. Id rather see Davis back for another year.
March 22nd, 2021 at 11:14 AM ^
Sometimes it feels like people forget that we also have Caleb Houstan coming in, with Hunter probably staying.
I mean, we're *loaded* with size in the frontcourt.
March 22nd, 2021 at 11:23 AM ^
We're gonna need Houstan playing a lot of minutes at the 3. We don't really have many other options there besides him and Barnes
March 22nd, 2021 at 12:48 PM ^
He'll play almost all of his minutes at the 3.
He's not a 4.
For some reason people project guys like it's 1995. Juwan Howard comes from the positionless NBA.
Isaiah Todd was more of a 3 than he was a 5. But people kept putting him at C. This has been proven with him play the 3 almost exclusively in the G-League.
Houston is a wing player. Diabate is a 4, someone you play WITH Dickinson.
Right now we're looking at Dickinson - Johns/Diabate - Houston - Brooks* - Smith*
Or Brown - Smith depending on what happens with Brooks.
March 22nd, 2021 at 11:10 PM ^
There's no way Diabate is only a 4. Can he even shoot from 3? I looked at his hello post and his 3-point shooting wasn't mentioned. Do people not realize our main 4s this year were Livers and Wagner? 4s generally are usually wing players nowadays.
We didn't play with a 4 with Livers.
We do with Johns.
We also played Castleton at the 4.
Those aren't 3 point shooters.
March 23rd, 2021 at 10:57 AM ^
Johns isn't a 3 point shooter? Uhhh...
And we've absolutely played Livers at the 4.
And Castleton barely played here. And he definitely played a lot of those minutes at C. And he plays C at Florida.
You think Brandon Johns is a 3 point shooter?
He has made ONE 3 in the last 10 games (out of 10 attempts).
As I said.
March 22nd, 2021 at 12:49 PM ^
I don't think many people think of Houstan as a "big". He's a small forward, so I don't think he'd be affected by adding a back-up center.
March 22nd, 2021 at 12:38 PM ^
Kessler played next to Sharpe at UNC as they rotated a two center/PF lineup with Bacot and Brooks. When the guards weren’t busy turning the ball over or throwing up garbage mid-range shots it worked but UNCs guard play couldn’t run a simple PnR for the life of them. Kessler would be a huge add, pun intended, and create some additional lineup flexibility.
March 22nd, 2021 at 10:52 AM ^
7'1" Hunter Dickinson
7'1" Walker Kessler
6'10" Moussa Diabate
Yes, please. Points in paint allowed in 2021-22 -- insignificant.
March 22nd, 2021 at 12:43 PM ^
Diabate is tall, but he's more of a 4 than he is a 5 right now.
If he and Johns were both in...Johns plays C, IMO.
The other huge factor with Diabate is his incredible quickness and agility for his size. The 4 would be his best position for sure
Correct.
March 22nd, 2021 at 10:58 AM ^
Doubt he’d come into such a crowded front court situation
March 22nd, 2021 at 11:05 AM ^
Yeah really. Twin towers? You can't play these guys together. A top-25 recruit isn't coming to get like 15 minutes off the bench. If that with Diabate coming in as well.
That really doesn’t matter. We should try to get him just so he doesn’t go elsewhere. MSU is gonna lose bates to the G, they have no post presence and no one in line for next year either. They will make a strong push for him. We need to prevent that.
Maybe, but MSU already lost one star recruit because its frontcourt was too crowded. I doubt Kessler would be attracted to that. Plus Izzo doesn't have a great track record of developing talent.
March 22nd, 2021 at 12:42 PM ^
We don't have a crowed front court situation at C.
We literally have ONE center next year. Dickinson.
Johns can play there, but he's not a C.
Kessler would get all of the minutes at C when Dickinson isn't in. Similar to the current situation with the big guys at Illinois.
March 22nd, 2021 at 11:14 PM ^
It's insane that so many people here think Diabate can't or shouldn't play at C. Why is everyone suddenly in love with outdated 90s basketball?
March 22nd, 2021 at 10:59 AM ^
As someone who believes a 21-year Dickinson will go pro, I think Kessler and Diabate would be a great insurance policy.
March 22nd, 2021 at 11:07 AM ^
So after next season? Diabate will almost surely be gone then as well. Maybe even Kessler. I don't see him coming here.
March 22nd, 2021 at 11:01 AM ^
think of the legit sales talk that juwan can give.
1. you've been to the alleged blue blood and seen it for the fraud that it is.
2. i can train you as a big man like literally no other coach in the land (save maybe ewing)
3. we're going to the dance with or without you, wouldn't you like to come?
4. twin towers or trip towers, it'll be swat city on d, PNR/stuff city on O. wouldn't you like to come?
5. have you seen how our players love the game, the school, the coach and each other? wouldn't you like a piece of that?
6. when you are done here, i can get you drafted b/c i know the details of big men and the folks that actually make the decisions.
so how about it kid, want to play for the greatest school on the planet?
I believe this right here is exactly the message Juwan is giving recruits like him and dang I love Juwan!
March 22nd, 2021 at 11:02 AM ^
"The relationships I have been able to develop this year will forever mean the world to me. I am honored to have played for an amazing and historic program like the University of North Carolina. Gratitude is all I feel for my teammates, coaches, trainers, administration, and staff. During a very difficult year for all of us, they were able to help me grow as a player and most importantly as a person.
Therefore, I have no choice but to leave this hellhole."
March 22nd, 2021 at 11:02 AM ^
I am surprised he is transferring. He actually looked quite good this year for UNC and showed more mobility than I expected. I thought he got a decent amount of minutes and was really becoming one of UNC's better players. Tough blow for UNC.
Not sure he has any interest in Michigan with HD here but if so, Michigan should definitely pursue.
March 22nd, 2021 at 11:07 AM ^
He played >20 minutes twice this season. They were by far his best performances two of UNC's better performances on the year. Definitely seems like a situation where he thought he deserved a bigger role.
Agreed he wouldn't come here to back up Dickinson. I could see us pursuing if Dickinson goes pro, but I don't see that happening this year.
March 22nd, 2021 at 11:06 AM ^
There is going to be an historic amount of transfers and players in the portal this offseason. Going to be interesting to see how it all plays out. Teams can go over the scholarship limit to keep their own seniors for an extra year due to the pandemic, but I don't think that applies to seniors from other schools. If a bunch of seniors decide to transfer and use their extra year of eligibility, scholarships are going to get tight around the country. And I think given the struggles of many of the traditional blue bloods, the recruitment of transfers is going to be intense this year.
March 22nd, 2021 at 11:06 AM ^
Would be interesting to see if he gives UM a look. I also don't know the scholarship situation, though given how COVID messed with rosters perhaps that's less of an issue.
March 22nd, 2021 at 11:16 AM ^
We are currently full, but with Wagner certainly leaving there will be at least one open spot.
We could see a senior like Smith come back. That wouldn't count against our scholarship limit, but it's unclear whether the University is willing to allocate more than 13 scholarships to the team. I also have not heard if there are any Title IX ramifications to doing so.
March 22nd, 2021 at 12:26 PM ^
Don't worry, I'm sure the University can afford it. An extra scholarship or two really doesn't cost anything. Nowhere near the $50k per year that an out of state regular student pays. Tuition and dorm room have almost zero incremental cost. Food and books aren't that much.