LOS ANGELES – Walker Kessler got a standing ovation from the Crypto.com Arena crowd as he subbed out with six minutes left to go in the Los Angeles Lakers' season-opening 127-105 blowout win over the Golden State Warriors firmly in hand on Wednesday, Oct. 21.
Kessler stole the show after wreaking havoc all night in the paint, scoring 26 points on a perfect 12-for-12 shooting performance – 10 of which were dunks, nearly all of which came via alley-oop – to go along with nine rebounds and two blocks in his Laker debut.
Not a bad first impression for a guy who has been vocal about embracing the spotlight and pressure that comes with being a center who wears the purple and gold.
"The energy's great," he told reporters after practice on Tuesday. "I remember being in Utah. Every time we played the Lakers at LA. I was there for Luka’s opening night, and ... it was insane. The fan base is unreal, their energy is great and playing for that, obviously … You can place on yourself a little bit of pressure. But for me, I just look at it as an opportunity to compete for a such a great franchise."
But the biggest surprise from Wednesday night wasn't Kessler's dominant showing, it was how seamlessly the Lakers' new "Big Three" flowed. Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves were throwing it in Kessler's zip code at times and he still was able to come down with it to make a play.
Then, there were unexplainable plays like Dončić wrapping the ball behind his back and slipping it by Draymond Green in the post and right into Kessler's chest as he stood all alone under the hoop. All that was left for him to do was reach up.
LUKA BEHIND-THE-BACK DIME TO KESSLER!
— NBA (@NBA) October 22, 2026
KESSLER'S GOT 18 PTS (9-9 FGM) 💯 pic.twitter.com/NBSCriABxA
Rob Pelinka paid a steep price to acquire Kessler this summer – two unprotected first round picks in 2031 and 2033, and first-round pick swaps in 2028 and 2030. It's still early, but it's already looking like he was worth every penny.
Lakers big three stats vs Warriors
- Luka Dončić: 28 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists
- Austin Reaves: 23 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists
- Walker Kessler: 26 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Walker Kessler wreaks havoc on Warriors as Lakers impress in opener