Walker Kessler would prefer game-winning block over game-winning dunk
· Yahoo Sports
The Los Angeles Lakers appear to have put together a team that could be excellent offensively. They have added proven scorers Quentin Grimes and Collin Sexton to a roster that already boasted Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, while also bringing in rising complementary big man Sandro Mamukelashvili.
Speaking of big men, center Walker Kessler, one of the NBA's best rim-protectors and rebounders, is the Lakers' biggest acquisition this summer. They gave up two future first-round draft picks and two future pick swaps to get him in a sign-and-trade with the Utah Jazz, mostly because of his abilities defensively and on the boards.
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Defense is indeed a sizable question mark with L.A.'s new-look roster, but Kessler could have the ability to help it improve on that end of the floor by himself. In a "Get to Know" segment on the team's YouTube channel, he said he'd rather block a shot than score on a dunk to win a game (h/t Lakers Nation).
“If people ask two things I do really well it’d probably be these two things,” Kessler said of dunking and blocking shots. “Obviously I think I can do a little more than that, but you know, this is a good staple piece. I would rather have a game-winning block I think, rather than a game-winning dunk. Just because I think stopping someone and breaking their hopes and dreams of ever trying to win is…that sounds terrible. I don’t mean it like that. But I would say game-winning block (laughs).”
Kessler has career averages of 9.5 points on 68.1% shooting, 9.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 25.3 minutes a game in his four pro seasons. Opponents tend to shoot a relatively low percentage near the rim against him, and he helps prevent other teams from getting second-shot opportunities while creating some for himself and his own team.
Perhaps the only question mark with Kessler is whether he will expand his offensive game. He showed very early signs of developing a respectable 3-point shot last season when he shot 6-of-8 from that distance in the five games he played before shoulder surgery ended his year.
In those five games, he averaged 14.4 points per contest. But make no mistake -- his defense and rebounding will provide the most value to Los Angeles.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Walker Kessler would prefer game-winning block over game-winning dunk