Utah Jazz's Walker Kessler deserves more than just five minutes

Mar 26, 2024

PASAY CITY, METRO MANILA, PHILIPPINES - 2023/08/28: Walker Kessler (R) of USA basketball team and Michail Lountzis (L) of Greece basketball team seen in action during the FIBA Men's Basketball World Cup 2023 match between USA and Greece at the MOA Arena. Final score; USA 109:81 Greece. (Photo by Earvin Perias/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Is Walker Kessler too good to be treated this way? It sure seems like it. The Utah Jazz’s second-year big man is looking at competing for an NBA Defensive Player of the Year award this year, as well as trying to make the NBA All-Defense team. Yet, despite his lofty upside and the sheer impact he can have against a team on defense, he’s been relegated to cleaning up in garbage time.

He’s played just seven official minutes of action so far in the FIBA World Cup, and has averaged just 3.6 minutes per game, scoring two points, on 40% shooting, while bringing down 0.5 rebounds; the same number as personal fouls.

Despite this he’s still posting a BPM of +4.5, so clearly he’s not hurting the team when he’s on the court.

The problem is that Team USA hasn’t needed his skillset so far. Team USA has handled just about every game they’ve played in the preliminary action and now in the actual FIBA World Cup tournament, continues to handle teams.

Neither New Zealand nor Greece could contain Team USA and both countries saw their national teams get dog-walked right off the court. So while Kessler deserves more time just from a talent standpoint, he isn’t being neglected when needed.

He just hasn’t been needed. But that’s going to change. In round two Team USA is going to have to deal with the Lithuanians and Jonas Valanciunas, as well as Montenegro and Nikola Vucevic.

Both teams are going to attack the paint, and while Jarren Jackson Jr. has been solid, he’s not big enough to give us confidence in him being able to slow both squads down. Kessler may be needed in those games, and his lack of experience isn’t going to help him.

It’s important that the Utah Jazz star get significant minutes in the final game of round one, so he’s ready for the more advanced talents he’ll see in later rounds.