Vitals
- Position: Center · Height: 7-2 · Weight: 245
- Draft: 2022, Round 1, Pick 22 by the Memphis Grizzlies
- Experience: 4 seasons · Nationality: United States
- Contract: Player option for 2029, then unrestricted free agency in 2030. The Lakers acquired Kessler in a sign-and-trade with the Utah Jazz on July 8, 2026, on a four-year, $130M deal.
Stats
| PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | FG% | 3P% | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14.8 | 8.2 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 2.4 | 75.0 | 44.4 |
Per-game averages, 2026-27 season. Stats as of October 30, 2026. Sources: Basketball-Reference, cross-checked against ESPN.
Full career stats
| Season | Team | G | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | FG% | 3P% | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | UTA | 74 | 9.2 | 8.4 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 2.3 | 72.0 | 33.3 | 51.6 |
| 2023-24 | UTA | 64 | 8.1 | 7.5 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 2.4 | 65.4 | 21.1 | 60.2 |
| 2024-25 | UTA | 58 | 11.1 | 12.2 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 2.4 | 66.3 | 17.6 | 52.0 |
| 2025-26 | LAL | 5 | 14.4 | 10.8 | 3.0 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 70.3 | 75.0 | 70.0 |
| 2026-27 | LAL | 5 | 14.8 | 8.2 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 2.4 | 75.0 | 44.4 | |
| Career | 206 | 9.7 | 9.2 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 2.3 | 68.4 | 25.3 | 54.7 |
Before the NBA
| Season | School | G | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | FG% | 3P% | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 | UNC | 29 | 4.4 | 3.2 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 57.8 | 25.0 | 53.7 |
| 2021-22 | AUBURN | 34 | 11.4 | 8.1 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 4.6 | 60.8 | 20.0 | 59.6 |
| Career | 63 | 8.2 | 5.8 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 2.9 | 59.4 | 22.3 | 56.9 |
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Role
Walker Kessler opens the season as the Lakers' starting center. He pulled down 10.8 rebounds per game while adding 1.8 shots per game.
How he got here
The Lakers acquired Kessler in a sign-and-trade with the Utah Jazz on July 8, 2026, on a four-year, $130M deal.
The Sports Nus coverage
- Luka Drops 21 in 16 Minutes as Lakers Crush Kings 127-103 in Preseason Opener Oct 6, 2026
- Reaves, Kessler Day-to-Day as Lakers Face Warriors on Back-to-Back Oct 6, 2026
Roster and contract details via RealGM, October 2026. Stats are per-game points, rebounds and assists.