Robert Kessler

Robert Louis Kessler (November 25, 1914 – September 5, 2001) was standout basketball player at Purdue University in the NCAA and then with the Indianapolis Kautskys in the National Basketball League (NBL).

Robert Kessler

Personal information
Born	November 25, 1914
Died	September 5, 2001(2001-09-05) (aged 86)
Nationality	American
Career information
High school	Anderson (Anderson, Indiana)
College	Purdue (1933–1936)
Playing career	1937–1940
Position	Forward
Number	23
Career history
1937–1938	Indianapolis Kautskys
1938–1939	Hammond Ciesar All-Americans
Career highlights and awards
All-NBL Second Team (1938) NBL Rookie of the Year (1938) Consensus All-American (1936) 2× First-team All-Big Ten (1935, 1936)

Kessler was from Anderson, Indiana and attended Anderson High School where he graduated in 1932. He then enrolled at Purdue and played on the men's varsity basketball team for his final three years under future Hall of Fame coach Ward Lambert. Kessler was a two-time All-American (1935–36), and as a senior he became Purdue's first ever consensus All-American.

After college, Kessler played professionally for three seasons in the NBL for the Indianapolis Kautskys. He was named the league's Rookie of the Year in 1937–38, although Kessler's teams never once qualified for the postseason. In his later life, Kessler worked at General Motors and eventually became its vice president.