Jabari Smith, Walker Kessler earn SEC honors after fantastic seasons
AUBURN – Auburn freshman Jabari Smith and sophomore Walker Kessler were named to the SEC first team on Tuesday.
Smith was also named Freshman of the Year, while Kessler was named Defensive Player of the Year.
Smith and Kessler were also named Associated Press SEC first-team players.
One of the top projected lottery picks in this year’s NBA Draft, Smith turned in an impressive rookie campaign garnering SEC Freshman of the Week honors six times (the most of any Tiger all-time), while averaging a team-leading 17.1 points per game and shooting 43.6 percent from behind the 3-point arc this season.
With those numbers, he earned a spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team – the third-straight Auburn freshman player to be tabbed one of the league’s top rookies along with Isaac Okoro in 2020 and Sharife Cooper in 2021. Both went on to play in the NBA.
“I feel like the game is slowing down for me,” Smith said. “The awards mean a lot to me. It’s something you dream about as a kid, and doing it while winning is big. I’m excited about what else this team has.”
The rookie also earned a spot on The Sporting News All-America Second Team – the second-ever player in program history to receive a nod by the national publication next to Chuck Person in 1984-85 (Second Team). In addition, Smith was named first-team Sports Illustrated All-American.
Jabari Smith is also one of five finalists for the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award.
RELATED: Smith, Kessler deserve all the appreciation, and then some
Over the last 10 games, Smith is averaging 20.2 PPG and 7.2 RPG while shooting 50% on threes. Over the last five games, he is averaging 23.6 PPG and 8.0 RPG with a 51.9% 3FG. Smith finished the season 13th nationally in Box Plus/Minus according to Torvik analytics.
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The program’s single-season record holder in blocked shots (140), Kessler had an equally impressive year as part of the nation’s top front court duo from Auburn. He currently is the NCAA Division I and SEC leader in blocked shots averaging 4.5 a game. He also leads the team in rebounding (8.2 rpg) and is fourth in steals (33).
Kessler was honored on the SEC All-Defensive Team alongside Keon Ellis of Alabama, Jaylin Williams of Arkansas, Oscar Tshiebwe of Kentucky and Zakai Zeigler of Tennessee. This season, the big man became the second-ever Tiger to record a triple-double since Kenny Gabriel in 2012 and has two on the season which ranks second-most in SEC history.
“It’s an honor. I’m happy to do it for Auburn and be a part of something bigger than me,” Kessler said. “(The season) went extremely well. I was just going to do the best I could and the best of my abilities. I’m super thankful the season played out the way it did.”
Kessler is one of five finalists for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award. The 7-foot-1 center leads the nation in block rate and is fourth in the nation in Box Plus/Minus according to Torvik analytics.
