Walker Kessler runs through brick wall as promised in impressive Lakers debut

LOS ANGELES — Walker Kessler’s debut was as good as it could get.

Twenty-six points on perfect 12-for-12 shooting. The second-best scoring effort of his entire career. When Kessler first spoke to the media – and something he’s repeated a few times since – he said he was ready to “run through a brick wall” for the franchise.

“For me, it’s just doing the little things and just competing my tail off every night and doing all the little stuff, whether that’s setting a hard screen, crashing the glass, sprinting the floor, just doing all the things it takes to win, …” Kessler said during the team’s preseason media day when asked what running through a brick wall meant for him.

“And I think when you have someone backing you and someone that shows you the belief that they have in you, it makes it a lot easier to want to make them proud and want to make them feel like you’re doing your absolute best for them.”

Kessler might be the Kool-Aid Man after his Crypto.com Arena introduction on Wednesday night.

Taking full advantage of a depleted, undersized Golden State Warriors lineup, he matched Shaquille O’Neal with 10 dunks, per ESPN, a mark not reached since the dominating center handled opposition at Staples Center in 2003. He became the first player in Lakers history to score at least 20 points on perfect shooting (more than 10 attempts) and was also the first to do so in the shot-clock era.

Not to mention, the 7-foot-1 center added nine rebounds and a pair of blocked shots – while teammates said afterward that they thought Kessler could have had even more.

“It’s a big deal when it’s your first game as a Laker,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said.

Did it live up to the hype for Kessler, the Lakers’ franchise center for the foreseeable future?

“I would say it did,” Kessler said. “Yeah, it was awesome.”

Or as the Kool-Aid Man would say: “Oh, yeah!”

Moments before Kessler walked into the press conference after the Lakers’ season-opening 127-105 victory over the Warriors, he listened to O’Neal share firsthand how he thought the new Lakers big man played Wednesday night.

“The way you played tonight, you played like the best big man in the league,” O’Neal said to Kessler on “Inside the NBA” on ESPN. “I’m happy for you, I’m proud of you.”

With a wide grin, Kessler told O’Neal how much his words of encouragement meant to him – welcoming Kessler to the “big man alliance” – from one Lakers great to a new face taking his first steps in the organization.

Vocal after the game, and vocal on the court, Kessler’s teammates glowed over his as-good-as-it-gets first impression.

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“Walk’s gonna be big for us,” forward Ziaire Williams said, “and he should be an All-Star this year, for sure.”

When it came to where to send credit to on Wednesday night, Kessler brushed off the first-game statistical highs and pointed to how his teammates – namely Luka Doncic and guard Austin Reaves – found him in transition for dunks. Kessler scored 26 of the Lakers’ 66 points in the paint in a variety of ways – putbacks, reverse two-handed dunks and alley-oops.

Doncic said Kessler makes it look easy, but reminded everyone that what the Lakers’ anchor in the middle does on the court is not easy.

Doncic, Reaves and Kessler hardly played together during the preseason, only suiting up for one half in which all three were available in the same game.

There could have been rust that needed to be shaken off, or patience required as Kessler adjusted to life with the Lakers after joining the team in July after a blockbuster sign-and-trade deal with the Utah Jazz shipped him to L.A. in exchange for two first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps.

None of that showed in the first of 82 games; the first of many more to come in a four-year contract that cements his future on the West Coast.

The Lakers’ ceiling, Doncic said, is even higher than what Kessler showed Wednesday night. Kessler’s “care factor,” Reaves said, sets the standard for those around him.

“His care factor is so high that he wants to do the right thing every single possession,” Reaves said. “He’s going to give his best effort every single possession. That’s all you can ask for. He’s a high level-player. …”

“He’s going to be really good for us.”

AT THE BUZZER

Guard Collin Sexton is set to make his Lakers debut on Friday night against the Clippers after he sat out all five preseason games and the season opener with a deep calf muscle strain.

Forward Jake LaRavia is questionable with a right ankle sprain he suffered in the fourth quarter on Wednesday, which caused him to leave the game early after recording 10 points and going 2 for 3 from 3-point range.

Second-year wing Adou Thiero (left knee swelling) and rookie guard Cameron Carr (right oblique strain) remain out.

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CLIPPERS AT LAKERS

When: Friday, 7 p.m.

Where: Crypto.com Arena

TV/Radio: Spectrum SportsNet, 710 AM

Read more Alexander: Lakers’ Kessler walks with the legends