Auburn basketball Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports
The official Auburn basketball program press release about the just-made-official signing of UNC Tar Heels transfer Walker Kessler had some very encouraging Bruce Pearl quotes throughout.
Pearl recognized the long road it took to finally land the Georgia native. The bright lights of Roy Williams’ historic basketball pillar (who the Tigers mauled en route to the Final Four in 2019) came calling last season, and Kessler took the trip to Chap Hill to become a heel.
UNC was bounced by the Badgers from the NCAA tournament’s field of 64 after underperforming in the ACC and mostly stashing Kessler at the end of the bench.