Former Auburn basketball center Walker Kessler to play for Team USA in FIBA World Cup | Report

AUBURN — It appears Auburn basketball will have some representation on the world stage this summer.

Walker Kessler has committed to play for Team USA in the FIBA World Cup, according to a report from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski on Wednesday. Kessler spent one season on the Plains, helping lead the Tigers to their first No. 1 ranking in the AP Poll during the 2021-22 season.

Kessler started all 34 games he appeared in with the Tigers, averaging 11.4 points and 8.1 rebounds to go along with 1.1 steals and a whopping 4.6 blocks per game. He was named the Naismith National Defensive Player of the Year ahead of the 2022 NBA Draft, where he was selected No. 22 overall by the Memphis Grizzlies and immediately traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

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Before the season began, though, Kessler was traded again, this time to the Utah Jazz in a package centered around the Timberwolves acquiring all-star center Rudy Gobert. Kessler turned in a first-team All-Rookie season with the Jazz, averaging 9.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game in 74 appearances and 40 starts. He also shot 72% from the field.

Per various reports from The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Marc Stein and Wojnarowski, Kessler will be joined on Team USA by NBA players Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson, Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, Brandon Ingram, Bobby Portis and Austin Reaves.

Richard Silva is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at rsilva@gannett.com or on Twitter @rich_silva18.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn basketball's Walker Kessler to play for Team USA | Report