The Los Angeles Lakers have spent the last few years searching for a dependable presence in the paint. Someone who can finish around the rim and raise their offense’s ceiling. On opening night, Walker Kessler offered a glimpse of what that missing piece might look like. His debut in the Purple & Gold brought back memories of a Lakers legend. 

And by the time he headed off the floor, Walker had the Crypto.com Arena crowd on their feet. The 7 ‘2 big man’s debut wasn’t merely promising. It was historic.

The home-bred center recorded 10 dunks in the Lakers’ 127-105 victory. With that, he became the first Laker to reach that mark in a single game since Shaquille O’Neal accomplished the feat in March 2003. It was 23 long years ago.

Moreover, Walker Kessler also finished with 26 points and nine rebounds, shooting a perfect 12-for-12 from the field. His debut outing was so efficient that he managed to pull off another historic stat line. Wilt Chamberlain was the last Laker before Kessler to record a perfect shooting night on at least 12 field-goal attempts. Chamberlain went 14-for-14 in 1969. 

So in a single night the big man brought names like Wilt and Shaq onto the table. And it caught one of the legends’ attention as well.

During a conversation with the Inside the NBA crew, Shaquille O’Neal had a new nickname ready for the center. “Your new nickname is Milk Chamberlain. I love you, Milk,” Shaq said.

It wasn’t just the legends who crowned him. The Crypto.com Arena gave a standing ovation as he checked out of the game.

His captain, Luka Doncic, who finished with 28 points, 8 rebounds, and 7assists, praised the new center after the game. “I think he had a great game. You know, he was trying to, you know, read different defenses. So what he did today was unbelievable for us,” Doncic said at the post-game interview.

That recognition matters because Walker Kessler’s role is more than being a vertical threat.

He must read defensive coverages, find openings around the basket, and give the Lakers a reliable target when opposing defenses concentrate on Doncic and Austin Reaves. Reaves contributed 23 points against the Dubs, helping the trio combine for 77.

As marketed before the new big three of the Lakers, the trio did come out with all guns blazing.

The Lakers repeatedly found ways to exploit the space around the rim. Doncic’s passing created opportunities for Kessler to finish above the basket. Meanwhile, Reaves added another perimeter threat, keeping the Warriors’ defenders busy throughout. 

The early connection gave the Lakers a promising foundation for its new-look offense. 

However, there was an important advantage to Walker Kessler’s performance: the Warriors entered the opener without Kristaps Porzingis, who was unavailable because of a health issue, and Charles Bassey was missing the night with a knee injury.

Draymond Green had to shoulder more responsibility at center. It ultimately left the Warriors vulnerable to a bigger opponent. Walker Kessler took full advantage of that matchup.

One game cannot establish how consistently that combination will work against stronger frontcourts. The Lakers will need Kessler to deliver on both ends when opponents have more size available and prepare specifically for his partnership with Doncic.

A match-up against teams like the Spurs and OKC will determine the true potential of this unit.

For now, though, his debut could hardly have gone better. 

Walker Kessler joined an exclusive statistical club and helped the Lakers open the season with a convincing win. More than anything, he won the hearts of fans, earning an ovation from the home crowd. The Lakers have a long season ahead, but their new center has already given them a compelling reason to believe the paint can become a strength again.