Former 5-star, NC transfer commits to Auburn

Bruce Pearl has raided the transfer portal once again, and it’s the biggest one so far.

Walker Kessler, the No. 24 overall recruit in the 2020 class who spent the 2020-21 season at North Carolina, announced Monday he is transferring to Auburn.

Kessler, a former 5-star recruit, chose Auburn over Gonzaga and North Carolina.

As a freshman at North Carolina, Kessler, who is 7-foot-1 and 245 pounds, had 25 blocked shots, 15 steals and averaged 4.4 points per game.

Kessler will enroll at Auburn in the summer with four years of eligibility.

As a senior at Woodward Academy in College Park, Ga., Kessler was named the Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Georgia, as well as Mr. Basketball. he also was named to the McDonald’s All-America Team.

Kessler is the fifth addition to Auburn’s roster, joining 2021 five-star forward Jabari Smith, 2021 four-star guard Trey Alexander and transfer point guards Zep Jasper and Wendell Green.