Walker Kessler's Back-to-School Drive: 'This is our home'

AUBURN, Ala. – Walker Kessler’s Back-to-School Drive provided autographed book bags, lunch boxes and water bottles Monday for students at the Boys & Girls Clubs of East Alabama.

“The essentials,” said Kessler, the 2022 national defensive player of the year at Auburn, who then added the afternoon’s second objective. “Seeing the kids, hanging out with them. I know as a kid, seeing an NBA player is a pretty special thing, especially someone from the same community you’re growing up in. I’m excited to hang out with them and have a good time.”

That good time included a meet and greet, photo opportunity and a chance to go one-on-one with Walker. If the kids thought the 7-footer would take it easy on them, they were mistaken, as one young man found out when he tried to drive past Kessler, who blocked his shot toward the other end of the court.

The event marked the second consecutive summer that the NBA stars of Auburn’s 2022 SEC championship team returned to the Plains to give their time to children in the community. Last summer, Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith conducted a free basketball camp at Loachapoka High School.

“Jabari’s a great guy and I know he feels the same way as me,” Kessler said. “This is our home. It’s our home away from home. To be able to come back to this community and serve and help out, it’s super rewarding for us. I’m super thankful for this community and just trying to pay it back.”

Kessler’s example inspires the children he met, says Boys & Girls Clubs of East Alabama president and CEO Richard Curry Jr.

“One of the core tenants of Boys & Girls Club is mentorship,” Curry said. “It’s certainly a good opportunity for them to see the potential that they could become, but then also, when they do arrive at whatever success looks like in their life, to give back to the community.”

Entering his fourth NBA season, Kessler spent the offseason adding to his offensive and defensive repertoire after ranking fifth in the NBA last season with a career-best 12.2 rebounds per game.

“Continue to get better,” he said. “Trying to be able to stretch the floor on the offensive side. On the defensive side, being able to cover in a ball screen scenario, be higher at the pickup level, being able to switch on guards in that halfcourt scenario.”

Kessler was locked in this spring as his former team made its second Final Four appearance.

“It was fun to watch,” he said. “It didn’t end how everyone wanted but super proud of those guys, Coach Pearl and the coaching staff. They did an unbelievable job and they should be proud of themselves. It was a historic run and it was super fun to watch.”

Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on X: @jeff_shearer