He spent the offseason admiring the great Lakers centers that came before him. He pondered how he could possibly continue such a legacy.
Turns out, Walker Kessler makes it look easy.
The new Lakers center scored 26 points on 12-for-12 shooting with nine rebounds, one assist and two blocks in his purple and gold debut to help the Lakers (1-0) to a dominant 125-105 win over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday at Crypto.com Arena.
From admiring Lakers legends, Kessler can now be mentioned in the same breath. His 12 made field goals without a miss were the most by a Laker since Wilt Chamberlain in 1969. His 10 dunks are the most for a Laker since Shaquille O’Neal in 2003.
O’Neal, for one, welcomes the company.
“Walker Kessler is the best big man in the NBA,” O’Neal proclaimed on “Inside the NBA” after the game where he also christened Kessler “Milk Chamberlain” and officially dubbed him a member of the “Big Man Alliance.” “You heard it here. And I’m not playing.”
Kessler deflected his success, crediting the play of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. The dynamic guards who scored 28 and 23 points, respectively, combined for 13 assists. Doncic connected with Kessler on an alley-oop on the game’s first play. He hit him with a behind-the-back pass wrapped around Draymond Green. He looked for Kessler even when the center wasn’t looking back. Kessler admitted one lob went down as just a layup because he didn’t see the pass in time.
“It’s not what I saw,” Kessler said of his sizzling debut. “It’s what Luka and AR [Austin Reaves] and all the other guys saw, throwing me the ball, honestly. Again, I wish I could tell you it was [that] I did something crazy, but I think just being in the right spots and being vertical and just trying to dunk everything. That’s really the biggest thing is having the attitude and mentality to try to dunk everything.”
Doncic, who had 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, understood it was more than just Kessler being 7-foot-2. He praised the center for his activity and how he reacted to the game. When Doncic drove, Kessler knew to step up. When the star point guard got doubled, Kessler expertly played in the pocket.
Kessler did his part. Trailing a play in transition during the third quarter, Kessler saw Doncic methodically probing the lane. Passing the three-point arc, Kessler shouted Doncic’s name. Doncic answered with a no-look, backwards bounce pass.
Read more:Lakers' new Luka Doncic era opens with rout of Warriors
“He’s just smart,” Kessler said, still stunned from his first competitive game with Doncic. “He’s just wicked smart. His basketball IQ is crazy.”
After playing together for just one half during the preseason, Kessler and Doncic said there would be an acclamation period during the regular season. But from the first lob Kessler caught from the star guard — when the team was playing pick up during a five-day trip in Slovenia this summer — the 25-year-old Atlanta native sensed something special building.
“I could get used to this,” Kessler said with a smile of his first alley-oop connection with Doncic.
The Lakers hope so. They sent two first-round draft picks and two first-round pick swaps to pry Kessler, a restricted free agent, from Utah. The organization was desperate to pair Doncic with a rim-running, lob-catching center to maximize the star guard’s offensive capabilities as he enters the prime of his career. The move was a significant risk. The Lakers now don’t own their first-round draft pick until 2032. They signed Kessler to a four-year, $130-million contract, which places him among the top-10 paid centers this season. The elite group includes NBA champions (Nikola Jokic, Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Davis), defensive players of the year (Victor Wembanyama) and former NBA most valuable players (Joel Embiid).
Kessler, meanwhile, has not even approached the All-Star conversation while toiling with Utah.
Kessler acknowledged the investment the organization made to get him. It motivated him to live up to the expectations of a franchise that exists under a spotlight he’s rarely seen. Just as he’s growing more comfortable with Doncic’s unexpected passes, Kessler is accepting the scrutiny that comes with playing with a team like the Lakers.
“I wish I could say I’ve always been comfortable with it, but I haven’t,” Kessler said. “When I was younger, going to college, I definitely let the pressure and kind of let outside voices and stuff kind of dictate how I felt. But I’m a big believer in what an opportunity. … When you count your blessings and give thanks giving, it’s really hard to focus on the negativity when you actively do that.”
Lakers coach JJ Redick praised Kessler’s end-to-end transition running that led to his instant impact. Kessler said running keeps him engaged in the game, so much so that he will sometimes run needlessly, searching for any spark. By the time the Lakers subbed him out with six minutes remaining in the fourth and a 30-point cushion, Kessler looked exhausted. Teammates gave him extra hugs on the bench. Forward Matisse Thybulle massaged Kessler’s shoulders.
After his historic debut, Kessler sat down at a table in front of a room packed with reporters. More than half a dozen TV cameras were lined up at the back of the room.
“Wow. Big crowd,” Kessler said as he picked up the microphone. It was the first time he remembered to hold the microphone at a formal Lakers news conference without being prompted.
He’s getting used to this.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
