Walker Kessler could hardly have scripted a better start to life with the Los Angeles. On his Lakers debut, he delivered a historic shooting performance, bringing names like Wilt Chamberlain into the conversation. But the record also gave Charles Barkley an opportunity to do something he’s best at: taking a shot at Shaquille O’Neal.
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And when Shaq tried to answer the criticism with a little jewelry, it didn’t go as he intended.
After the Lakers decimated the Warriors with a 127-105 win, Inside the NBA reviewed the game. While the game had a lot to offer, Kessler’s perfect shooting night topped the list.
A statistical graphic put him alongside Wilt Chamberlain, and Charles Barkley wasted no time dragging Shaq into the conversation. “Damn, Shaq, you must suck… Where were you at, Shaq?” Barkley fired. The remark was part of the playful back-and-forth between the two analysts.
The jab landed because Walker Kessler had joined rare company in his first appearance for Los Angeles.
Kessler efficiently finished 12-for-12 from the field against the Warriors, converting every attempt he took. His night included 10 dunks, as the center repeatedly finished around the rim while Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves helped create opportunities for him.
The shooting mark carried a connection to Wilt Chamberlain.
The Lakers legend went 14-for-14 in 1969. Kessler’s perfect shooting night made him the first Laker since Chamberlain to finish a game with at least 12 field-goal attempts and no misses.
The graphics also included Mitch Kupchak and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who both went 11-for-11 in 1981 and 1985, respectively. Well, it’s indeed a surprise not to see Shaq, one of the dominant centers, on the list. And Chuck latched on to the opportunity to troll the big man.
However, Shaq was never one to leave himself without a comeback.
He tried to respond without saying a word. He flashed a ring toward Barkley, seemingly hoping to remind Chuck of his championship success. Instead, Barkley spotted the problem: the ring was a TNT crew ring, not an NBA championship ring. That gave him another reason to keep the roast going.
Meanwhile, it did only little damage to Shaq’s legacy.
Walker Kessler’s 10 dunks were the most by a Lakers player in a game since Shaquille O’Neal recorded 11 in 2003. Shaq did it thrice in his Lakers tenure.
Kessler had not simply produced an efficient night; he had delivered the kind of rim-running performance that Lakers fans associate with dominant centers from the franchise’s past.
Immediately after the cat-and-mouse fight, Walker Kessler joined the Inside the NBA desk for a quick chat from LA.
Speaking of his performance to the panel, he said, “It was pretty easy playing with those guys. I mean, you know, I just ran the floor, and they found me and, you know, they did a fantastic job.”
Following that, Shaq pitched in to offer genuine praise. He told Kessler, “You play like the best big man in the league,” before adding, “I love you, brother.” Then Shaq pulled out the nickname.
O’Neal crowned the Lakers center “Milk Chamberlain,” combining Kessler’s performance with Chamberlain’s place in franchise history. It was a playful tribute. But one that captured how quickly he had made an impression.
Kessler’s debut offered the Lakers a glimpse of what his presence around the basket could bring. Meanwhile, the numbers gave the broadcast a memorable historical comparison.
Kessler finished with 26 points against the Warriors, offering a glimpse of how effective the team’s big three could become when he converts the chances created by Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Whether that combination can carry Los Angeles deep into the playoffs remains to be seen, but Kessler’s debut offered an encouraging first sign.