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NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Analyzing Walker Kessler’s final six

By Lukas Harkins

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 08: A view of the official game ball in the basket prior to the 2019 NCAA men's Final Four National Championship game between the Virginia Cavaliers and the Texas Tech Red Raiders at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 08, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 08: A view of the official game ball in the basket prior to the 2019 NCAA men's Final Four National Championship game between the Virginia Cavaliers and the Texas Tech Red Raiders at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 08, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GA – MARCH 15: Coach Fox of Cal while at UGA. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA – MARCH 15: Coach Fox of Cal while at UGA. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

California Golden Bears

California might seem like a bit of a surprising member of this exclusive list but there is a family connection tying Kessler and the program together. Cal’s new head coach, Mark Fox, previously coached Kessler’s older brother at Georgia and there is a strong relationship between the coach and the family. It is also important to mention that Coach Fox has not been with the Golden Bears’ program for all that long – 2019-20 will be his first season at the helm. This could allow Coach Fox to pitch Kessler on the idea that his commitment could be what jumpstarts a resurgence for the program.

Cal has only reached the NCAA Tournament once in the last six years.

It is clear that the fans in Berkeley have to be hoping for some positive news both on the court and on the recruiting trail. Kessler would certainly be an outstanding commit for Coach Fox as he would immediately speed up the rebuilding process. At this point in time, Cal does not have any 2020 commitments and Kessler would be an incredible piece to build around. His commitment, should it occur, could lead to more high-profile additions in the coming months.

With that said, though, it seems unlikely that the Golden Bears will be able to land Kessler, especially when you consider the other programs on this list. They are the least likely program to compete for the national title and are also located extremely far from home (Kessler is from Georgia). Making his final list, though, could be a sign of positive momentum for the program, nonetheless.

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