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Walker Kessler entering transfer portal per his Tweet

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remember when john henson wanted to be a small forward and he was a disaster and looked like he never played basketball before and then Roy put him in the post where he belonged and he won back to back ACC DPOY and was a lottery pick and played a decade in the NBA and made over 50 million dollars?
 
remember when john henson wanted to be a small forward and he was a disaster and looked like he never played basketball before and then Roy put him in the post where he belonged and he won back to back ACC DPOY and was a lottery pick and played a decade in the NBA and made over 50 million dollars?
Kessler just screwed himself out of a successful college career.

I'm sorta sad we needed two threads to devote to a guy that will be forgotten after this season.
 
See, don't take this personally, but I don't think anyone here at this board is qualified to tell Roy that he's distributing minutes wrong. Brooks has been in the system for 4 years. Roy relies on that experience, especially on the defensive end. If Kessler is repeatedly out of position, how can Roy play him more? If Kessler's conditioning sucks, which it did for much of the season, how can Roy play him more? If Kessler is not screening correctly, or moving the ball correctly, or boxing out correctly, how can Roy play him more?

As fans, we see Kessler with 8 blocks or 16 points and 12 rebounds in one game and we're like, "Play Kessler more!" But then the next game he looks like a dog. Roy knows what he sees in practice. We don't. How in the hell are we going to tell Roy he's doing it wrong?

The bottom line is that Kessler came in with preconceived notions of what his freshman year would be. Maybe Roy shares some blame in creating that notion. But the way I see it is this is a kid that wants instant gratification and is not willing to earn his stripes and wait his turn. Screw him. I'll be watching with great anticipation to see where he goes next year, how he's used and how successful he and his team are. My guess is that he will ultimately regret this move.
You must be related to Roy Williams!
 
You must be related to Roy Williams!
See, this right here,...this is the kind of quality comments we've come to expect from Wolpfack fans. Insightful. Intelligent. Well articulated. Well done, friend.
you handled that so much better than I thought you would! Good job! It's a shame there's nobody here to sweep out the trash anymore.
 
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Kessler was the most talented player on the team. Roy should’ve given him a hell of a lot more burn early on and let him get his reps on the court in game action. Also, Sharpe and Bacot are not 5 star players.
 
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Kessler is a major loss - i think he and Sharpe would be the best of the 4 bigs next season and now they are both likely to be gone. With the interior depleted and stir so few shooters on the roster - next year looks like a struggle as it stands today. We’re going to have to hope the Portal giveth as well as taketh away - if not we’re going to have some serious holes on the roster next year.
 
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I saw a potent team against Notre Dame, when Brooks was out due to injury. You know Roy Williams is going to stick with his preferred starting lineup by March. But, Kessler was never some all-star Superman that was being held back. He was antsy before he got more minutes. He could have just as easily gotten shredded and exposed if he played more. There's no way to know. Bottom line: If you aren't interested in the commitment to the team and coach, in college basketball, then haul ass somewhere else. Kessler will wind-up just like the Wear twins and Drew II. He had a chance to experience his true potential. I have complete confidence in Roy Williams' ability to develop players who want to evolve under his tutelage. If you're going to pout as a freshman because a senior is getting more minutes... then go pro.

College basketball is becoming less and less interesting. I've been watching this NCAAT closely this year. I see more and more of just 3-point chucking. The game sucks.
Agreed. Gonzaga and Oregon thus far look the part, but outside of them, it’s just really hard to watch these games. Ugly basketball.
 
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I do not believe Roy Williams lied to him or his family. You'll have a very difficult time convincing people that Roy Williams lied to parents and recruits.

I dont know if he lied BUT Kessler was not used like he needed to be. If Roy doesnt change his loyalty to the seniors and play those who have potential to be better, UNC can look at a very bumpy road ahead. Great coaches can make changes when needed.
 
I hope Roy retires. Not because I'm mad at him. But it will give me the push I need to check out of college sports. I just find it hard to get emotionally invested and root for kids that I would probably find to be entitled little pricks.

Thanks for your time Roy. Quit now while you're ahead and try to enjoy your golden years. I sure wouldn't waste them dealing with today's bratty youth and their shitty parents.
It looks to me like college basketball is going to be helter skelter every....single.....year.
 
Thanks to all the “message board insiders” who had it pegged that there was no way he leaves. Spot on. Those “sources” let ya down. Hate to see him go and not sure why he leaving but I’m sure someone does lol.
 
This is 1000% on Roy. How many game threads did we have where we said "where's Walker?" because he would have these extended moments just sitting on the bench?

But aren't we glad that Garrison got his 30mpg.
Right. And Bacot was on the bench too much also. Point to a competitive game this year where Brooks was the #1 guy/ reason we won.

there isn’t one. But there are plenty where that is the case for bacot sharpe even a couple forKessler. Yet bacot and Kessler would get forgotten on the bench so pouting soft lethargic no impact brooks could get his guaranteed 30 minutes and 2-12 shooting and 2 rebounds. That part is on Roy.
 
Geez, I had to check and make sure I had not got on Rupps Rafters rather than THI, this fan base today is just as if not more insecure than Kys and that takes some doing.

I hate that we are losing a special young talent like Kessler, enough with the he will stink where ever he goes, he will be very good no matter where he plays. Roy has been trying to deal with this one for a while now, his pops and uncle believe the kid is a stretch 4/5 and maybe in time that is what he can become, he just was not ready to be that this season. You folks watched the kid play this season, you tell me, did you really want to see Kessler pumping up treys all season? You going to come on here and tell us the game has passed Roy by because he didn't want Kessler out pumping up treys all game long?

You guys, lets see what words of wisdom I have read here today, in addition to Kessler it is Sharpe is 100% gone to the NBA, Love is either going NBA or transferring, RJ is transferring, as is Ant, and someone even told us Leaky is transferring, some big guy told him that? But by far the most entertaining is those that state as absolute fact that the game has passed Roy by, that it is time for him to hang them up and spend his time working on his handicap...

I love this one, folks here seem pretty adamant that they do not want UNC to turn in to a 1&D factory like duke and Ky yet just this past season Roy gets the #1 or 2 freshman class in the country (depending on who you ask) and I would ask, exactly which one of those very talented players did you not want Roy to sign when they were being recruited? I don't recall a single Tar Heel fan upset that we signed Love, Kessler, Sharpe, or RJ? Why, either you want Micky D level talents or you don't? I do see constant Monday morning QBing going on when some of those same players have a bad game?

Yeah, the game has passed Roy by for sure because the game has radically CHANGED IN THE LAST 3YEARS, I guessing those that seem ready for Roy to leave now were all for him when we went to back to back final 4s and won our natty what, 3 years ago? I have seen folks lobby for Nat Oats to come in and Roy step down, I forgot, how many natty does Nate Oats have again? Are those the same folks that really wanted Shaka Smart to be our head coach one day, you know Shaka don't ya, he is the guy that Texas fans are running out of town today? As for Nate Oats, do you really want to see UNC go small and have their entire roster pumping up treys because that is what Oates does, don't have a lay up then pass it to someone that will take a trey.

Really ashamed today to be associated with some of these folks that claim to be Tar Heels because what I see today is not in any way Tar Heel like, the wuffies are looking for fans so are the dukies, PLEASE see if they will take you.

For those that are Tar Heel blue, tough day for sure but let's let this play out and ease up on the worst case speculation as being fact and see what we are working with after all the smoke clears. But PLEASE STOP with all the nonsense knee jerk worst case speculation and trying to say it is sourced from within the program.
 
North Carolina is 32-30 the last two seasons. The program is not in good shape and unfortunately there isn’t much help in the way of talent coming in. UNC is staring down the barrel of another mediocre season, and then if they don’t start recruiting some top flight kids in ‘22... it’s going to be rough.
 
Geez, I had to check and make sure I had not got on Rupps Rafters rather than THI, this fan base today is just as if not more insecure than Kys and that takes some doing.

I hate that we are losing a special young talent like Kessler, enough with the he will stink where ever he goes, he will be very good no matter where he plays. Roy has been trying to deal with this one for a while now, his pops and uncle believe the kid is a stretch 4/5 and maybe in time that is what he can become, he just was not ready to be that this season. You folks watched the kid play this season, you tell me, did you really want to see Kessler pumping up treys all season? You going to come on here and tell us the game has passed Roy by because he didn't want Kessler out pumping up treys all game long?

You guys, lets see what words of wisdom I have read here today, in addition to Kessler it is Sharpe is 100% gone to the NBA, Love is either going NBA or transferring, RJ is transferring, as is Ant, and someone even told us Leaky is transferring, some big guy told him that? But by far the most entertaining is those that state as absolute fact that the game has passed Roy by, that it is time for him to hang them up and spend his time working on his handicap...

I love this one, folks here seem pretty adamant that they do not want UNC to turn in to a 1&D factory like duke and Ky yet just this past season Roy gets the #1 or 2 freshman class in the country (depending on who you ask) and I would ask, exactly which one of those very talented players did you not want Roy to sign when they were being recruited? I don't recall a single Tar Heel fan upset that we signed Love, Kessler, Sharpe, or RJ? Why, either you want Micky D level talents or you don't? I do see constant Monday morning QBing going on when some of those same players have a bad game?

Yeah, the game has passed Roy by for sure because the game has radically CHANGED IN THE LAST 3YEARS, I guessing those that seem ready for Roy to leave now were all for him when we went to back to back final 4s and won our natty what, 3 years ago? I have seen folks lobby for Nat Oats to come in and Roy step down, I forgot, how many natty does Nate Oats have again? Are those the same folks that really wanted Shaka Smart to be our head coach one day, you know Shaka don't ya, he is the guy that Texas fans are running out of town today? As for Nate Oats, do you really want to see UNC go small and have their entire roster pumping up treys because that is what Oates does, don't have a lay up then pass it to someone that will take a trey.

Really ashamed today to be associated with some of these folks that claim to be Tar Heels because what I see today is not in any way Tar Heel like, the wuffies are looking for fans so are the dukies, PLEASE see if they will take you.

For those that are Tar Heel blue, tough day for sure but let's let this play out and ease up on the worst case speculation as being fact and see what we are working with after all the smoke clears. But PLEASE STOP with all the nonsense knee jerk worst case speculation and trying to say it is sourced from within the program.
Personally I don't care how the team plays basketball as long as the win.. If jacking up a ton of threes and playing like the houston rockets wins games, then by all means let's do it!
 
Kessler's only 3 that went in was a bank shot from the top of the key. Doesnt exactly scream stretch anything! Kid is going to score a lot of college points next year. If he hangs some weight on that frame he might score a lot of NBA points. I will miss him though.
 
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Watching the Michigan game tonight shows me that Kessler is nowhere near what Dickerson is. More time in our program might well have taught him the skills he needs for the next level but his decision sadly makes me suspect he will not progress. I still wish him well, but he is not as good as he thinks.
 
The issue primary issue with Kessler was not playing time. The primary issue was how he was used and how he will be used going forward. Lack of playing time contributed, especially the performance of Brooks, which was far below expectations and that is probably a gross understatement.

This is what Roy told Kessler when he was being recruited:

“They showed a bunch of film of Luke Maye and said, 'This is literally how we are going to use you,'” Kessler said when he committed to UNC in September of 2019. “They said I was a bigger Luke Maye, 'this is how we want to use you.' Being a big that can shoot and stretch the floor was really appealing.”

And for those of you who say Kessler would transition to the Luke Maye role over time I say that is hogwash! If Roy Williams talked Jr/Sr year with a 7-foot All-American, he would have never signed with UNC in the first place.

Rumor has it that Kessler is considering Gonzaga. Would Kessler play behind Chet Holmgren at Gonzaga if he is used the way he want to be used, I'm thinking yes.

As pointed out above, Kessler deserved more minutes than Brooks the latter part of the season but Roy was too stubborn to make the adjustment. The Brooks fox trot annoyed me all season. Brooks performance based on expectations has to be the biggest flop in UNC history. For all of us who said Brooks would improve his NBA stock by coming back, we were wrong. If anything, it was the opposite.

On a positive note, if "my guess" is correct you can pencil in RJ, Harris and Walton as 3 of the starters next year which will be one of the best in the ACC. The Transfer Portal is going to be wild! I'm already hearing there are some guys that want to play for UNC. I'm cautiously optimistic! Roy can be very selective. Let's see how this thing shakes out! As Scarlett said in the greatest movie ever "Gone With The Wind"..."Tomorrow is another day"

 
With Bacot, Sharpe and Love all leaving, too... maybe a solid foundation can be built on what's left, what's coming, and who might come from the portal.
 
...Brooks performance based on expectations has to be the biggest flop in UNC history. For all of us who said Brooks would improve his NBA stock by coming back, we were wrong. If anything, it was the opposite....
very disappointing season for brooks. he looked like a completely different player compared to last year. what the heck happened?
 
Regardless, they were recruited based on a vision by Roy that wasn't upheld. If Roy doesn't sell them on being a stretch 4 like Luke Maye, then they likely commit to a different school to begin with. That is what is boils down to. Walker wasn't utilized as they were promised.

Roy sold a 7'1 guy as a stretch 4? Interesting. Dude wasnt hitting the rim on the jump shots he took
 
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