Shaquille O’Neal didn’t hold back after Walker Kessler’s Lakers debut, and that alone made Wednesday’s win feel bigger than a normal regular-season opener.
Kessler powered Los Angeles past the Golden State Warriors 127-105 at Crypto.com Arena, then drew a towering endorsement from one of the most decorated big men in NBA history. O’Neal went on Inside the NBA and made his position plain.
“For so long, the Lakers big men have been historical and dominant,” O’Neal said. “Walker Kessler is the best big man in the NBA. You heard it here, and I’m not playing.”
That’s the kind of praise that carries weight in Los Angeles, where the standard for frontcourt play has been set by names like O’Neal, George Mikan, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Pau Gasol, and Anthony Davis. It also comes with pressure, because the Lakers invested heavily to get Kessler in the summer, sending two unprotected first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps to the Utah Jazz, then giving him a four-year, $130 million contract in the sign-and-trade.
On the floor, he backed it up in a hurry. The 25-year-old finished with 26 points on 12-of-12 shooting, nine rebounds, one assist and two blocks in 30 minutes.
He also threw down 10 dunks, the most by a Laker in a game since O’Neal in 2003. And his perfect night from the field put him in rare franchise company - only Chamberlain has done better, going 14-for-14 in 1969.
O’Neal doubled down on his praise during the broadcast.
“The way you played tonight, you played like the best big man in the league,” O’Neal said. “I’m happy for you.
I’m proud of you. I’ve said during halftime, you’re not going to get a lot of touches, but when you do get your opportunities, you’re a great finisher.
You play like a big man. Welcome to the Big Man Alliance.
I love you, brother. Continue to play well.”
He even added a nickname to the mix.
“Your new nickname is Milk Chamberlain,” O’Neal said. “… I love you, Milk.”
Kessler’s arrival also had Luka Doncic smiling after the game. Doncic had been pushing the front office to land the big man, and he left no doubt about his debut grade.
“A+ for sure today,” Doncic said, via ESPN. “I think he had a great game. We were working on reading different defenses, so what he did today was unbelievable for us.”
Doncic handed out eight assists against the Warriors, and five of them went to Kessler. The connection looked natural, and it’s the kind of pairing the Lakers hope can grow fast.
Kessler, for his part, kept the credit moving toward his teammates.
“I’m extremely thankful playing with the guys that we have on our team,” Kessler said, via Infanity TV. “I wish I could say it was really difficult, but their court vision’s insane.
So they know my advantage is my height. So yeah, they found me in the right spots.”
JJ Redick pointed to Kessler’s nonstop running in transition as another reason the debut clicked, and Kessler responded with a laugh.
“Contrary to my name, I run a lot,” Kessler said. “… I’m glad y’all got that.
I’ve always been like that. I think when I run, it keeps me engaged in the game.
I mean, there’s many times where I’ll run needlessly, just because every once in a while one might come off the rim, whether on offense or defense. You might get a rebound or a putback, and then it opens up a lot of the shooters on the perimeter.”
For the Lakers, that kind of “needless” energy won’t be a problem. They were looking for force, size and production at center, and Kessler delivered all three in one loud, efficient debut.
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