Luka Doncic Impressed With Walker Kessler In Lakers Debut

Luka Doncic praised new Los Angeles Lakers center Walker Kessler following Kessler's historic regular-season debut against the Golden State Warriors on October 21, 2026. Kessler scored 26 points on a perfect 12-for-12 shooting performance during the Lakers' blowout victory at Crypto.com Arena. Doncic highlighted Kessler's ability to read driving lanes and operate effectively in the pocket when defenses doubled, calling the performance very impressive.

Kessler became the first Laker since Shaquille O'Neal to record at least 10 dunks in a single game and the first since Wilt Chamberlain to go perfect on at least 12 attempts. Lakers Nation notes that while head coach JJ Redick integrated nine new players, the team may need to acquire a backup center before the trade deadline to reduce over-reliance on Kessler defensively.