10 Western Conference breakout candidates for 2023-24 NBA season

10. Walker Kessler, C, Utah Jazz

Kessler isn’t the flashiest name on this list, but his game was able to speak for itself down the stretch of his rookie season. The No. 22 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft out of Auburn, Kessler averaged 9.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and an impressive 2.3 blocks last year. Although he doesn’t take many shots away from the rim, Kessler also shot a strong 72% from the field. The 7-foot center saw relatively minimal playing time through the first half of last season, but really came on strong at the end, averaging 13.8 points and 10 rebounds in the month of March where he also had a 31-point outing. Kessler is an old school big man who is also a terrific defender, and should continue to get plenty of minutes for the Jazz. As a result, it would be surprising if he didn’t average a double-double in 2023-24 as one of the top true centers in the conference.