Auburn Tigers in the NBA: Nov. 5 edition

With Auburn now having several former basketball players playing professionally, it’s time to launch a weekly look at the Tigers in the NBA. Here’s a quick overview of how they’re doing this season.

WALKER KESSLER, UTAH

SEASON: Rookie

KEY STATS: 5.3 pts., 4.3 rebs., 1.4 blks.

GAMES/STARTS: 7/0

MINUTES PER GAME: 14

FIELD GOAL %: 66.7

BEST GAME: 10-19 vs. Denver (W): 12 pts., 10 rebs., 1 ast.

WORST GAME: 10-24 vs. Houston (L): 0 pts., on 0-for-1 shooting, 4 fouls in eight minutes.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: “There’s clearly NBA talent there for Kessler. And perhaps a significant amount. The way he finishes above the rim. The way he runs the floor. The way he sets screens and rolls to the basket. How hard he plays on both ends from possession to possession. All of those attributes suggest a profile of a guy who can become a viable NBA big man in today’s league, which is not easy to do.” — The Athletic

CHUMA OKEKE, ORLANDO

SEASON: Third

KEY STATS: 5.6 pts., 4.3 rebs., 1.7 asts.

GAMES/STARTS: 9/0

MINUTES PER GAME: 17.8

FIELD GOAL %: 42.9

BEST GAME: 11-3 vs. Golden State (W): 16 pts., 9 rebs., 3 ast.

WORST GAME: 10-24 vs. New York (L): 0 pts., on 0-for-5 shooting, 1 turnover.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: “Chuma Okeke was off to a slow start for the Orlando Magic, but that all changed against the Golden State Warriors. Okeke had 16 points on 4-6 shooting from the field. He also had a team-leading nine rebounds, three assists, and a block. The best stat from Okeke’s big game was his +/-. In the win over the defending champion Warriors, Okeke had a +/- of +13, which was the highest on the team. The Magic were doing well when Okeke was on the court.” — Sports Illustrated.

Chuma Okeke in the first quarter:

12 PTS
4 REB
4-4 FG
3-3 3P
+10 +/-
🔥 pic.twitter.com/J8gYaX06Zg

— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) November 3, 2022

ISAAC OKORO, CLEVELAND

SEASON: Third

KEY STATS: 2.4 pts., 1.5 rebs., 0.3 blks., 0.8 asts.

GAMES/STARTS: 8/3

MINUTES PER GAME: 16

FIELD GOAL %: 33.3

BEST GAME: 11-4 vs. Detroit (W): 9 pts., 4 rebs.

WORST GAME: 10-19 vs. Toronto (L): 0 pts., 4 fouls

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: “Okoro has always been known more for his defense than his offense, but the Cleveland Cavaliers were hoping this year would be a breakthrough season for Okoro.  It’s been nearly the opposite. … Okoro’s playing time has plummeted this season. He played a season-high 26 minutes in a road win against the Bulls but was 1-of-5 from the field and scored just two points. That number fell off a cliff in recent games. He saw the floor for just over five minutes in (last) Friday night’s 132-123 overtime win over the Celtics. Even more glaring, he was a minus-12 in those five minutes.” — Sports Illustrated

JABARI SMITH JR., HOUSTON

SEASON: Rookie

KEY STATS: 10.8 pts., 6.1 rebs., 1.2 blks., 0.8 asts.

GAMES/STARTS: 9/9

MINUTES PER GAME: 30.7

FIELD GOAL %: 30.5

BEST GAME: 10-24 vs. Utah (W): 21 pts., 9 rebs., 3 blks., 2 asts.

WORST GAME: 11-2 vs. LA Clippers (L): 2 pts., on 1-for-10 shooting, 2 turnovers

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: “Nine games into his NBA career, Smith is still searching for consistency and his jumper. The 6-foot-10 forward is hitting just 30.5% from the field, including 30.4% from downtown. Over his last three outings, it’s been particularly harsh. 19.2% shooting overall, and 14.3% from 3-point range. While many, including myself, thought Smith’s jumper would immediately translate, it hasn’t yet. It will eventually, because he’s too good a shooter for it not to, but his shooting struggles has unveiled a minor challenge that he and the Rockets coaching staff will need to work on: Shot creation.” — Sports Illustrated

Haven’t seen this all season from Jabari Smith Jr, but this middy is beautiful 🔥 pic.twitter.com/H7RgdQpl1o

— Bradeaux (@BradeauxNBA) November 3, 2022

JT THOR, CHARLOTTE

SEASON: Second

KEY STATS: 3.1 pts., 2.5 rebs., 0.6 blks.

GAMES/STARTS: 8/0

MINUTES PER GAME: 12.6

FIELD GOAL %: 34.6

BEST GAME: 11-4 vs. Memphis (L): 11 pts., 5 rebs., 2 asts., 1 blk.

WORST GAME: 10-28 vs. Orlando (L): 0 pts., 1 turnover

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: “Thor ended Friday’s 130-99 loss to the Grizzlies with 11 points (4-12 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 1-2 FT), five rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal across 26 minutes. Thor, along with a number of his teammates, made the most of garbage time, putting up season-high numbers across the board. While this was a nice performance, history would tell us that it is unlikely to stick. The Hornets were simply blown off the court and so chances are he goes back to being a fringe rotation player in the next game.” — CBS Fantasy