Jazz center Walker Kessler explained to reporters that the left shoulder injury which ultimately ended his season didn’t originate in the NBA, but actually dates back to his college career at Auburn. Kessler managed to appear in only five games this year before doctors determined surgery was necessary.
As he recounted the history of the injury, Kessler said, “I’ve had a posterior labrum tear on my left shoulder since Auburn. I think the Tennessee game, I tore it and just kind of tried to play through and strengthen it.”
He added that doctors made it clear the issue wasn’t something he could simply overcome with rehab.
“The doctor explained it … there’s no amount of strength that’ll keep it from slipping out again and again. So he told me, ‘You got to have the surgery.’”
Kessler acknowledged that leaving the problem uncorrected would have exposed him to even greater long-term damage.
“Another thing is, the more you sublux it, the more risk of injury (there is), of destroying everything around it: you know, the rotator cuff, the anterior labrum, and so that’s why it was necessary,” he said, noting that surgery was the only way to prevent repeated instability and further structural harm.
Northwest Notes: Kessler, Hendricks, Hyland, Braun, Gordon, Strawther https://t.co/EuHuZ3cVoC pic.twitter.com/7Phxwwc06B
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) December 10, 2025
