Utah Jazz centre Walker Kessler's season lasted all of five games.

Kessler is scheduled to undergo surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder and will miss the rest of the 2025-26 NBA season, according to NBA Insider Chris Haynes on Wednesday.

The 2024-25 NBA leader in blocked shots sat out Utah's last two games due to shoulder bursitis, but the injury was determined to be more serious and requires surgery.

Kessler is third on the Jazz in scoring at 14.4 points per game and ranks eighth in the NBA in rebounding at 10.8 per game.

We announced today that center Walker Kessler will undergo surgery to repair a left shoulder labral tear.

The procedure will be performed in Los Angeles by Dr. Neal ElAttrache on Nov. 6. Following the surgery, Kessler will miss the remainder of the 2025-26 season.

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— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 5, 2025

His 12.2 rebounds per contest last season ranked fifth in the league to go with an NBA-best 2.38 blocks per game. He also averaged 11.1 points in 58 games.

Kessler is in his fourth pro season and will be a restricted free agent in the off-season after the 24-year-old was unable to get a deal done on an extension over the summer.

Veteran Jusuf Nurkic replaced Kessler in the starting lineup in the last two games for the Jazz (3-4), and will likely continue to get starts at centre.