The Los Angeles Lakers started their 2026-27 regular season on a high note with a 127-105 win over the Golden State Warriors. While the Lakers had several positives to take away from the game, the biggest highlight was the performance of their new center, Walker Kessler.

The 7-foot-2 center, who joined the Lakers during the offseason, had a historic debut that even caught the attention of NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal.

Shaquille O’Neal’s Unique Praise for Walker Kessler

During a segment of ESPN’s “Inside the NBA,” the four-time NBA champion praised Kessler for his impressive performance against the Warriors.

“Walker Kessler is the best big man in the NBA. You heard it here. And I am not playing,” O’Neal said during the segment.

Moreover, during the same discussion, the crew displayed a fan’s post on X that compared the Lakers’ current duo of Luka Dončić and Kessler to the legendary partnership of Kobe Bryant and Shaq.

O’Neal embraced the “Snowtime Lakers” nickname when a fan comparison of Dončić and Kessler appeared on screen. Charles Barkley also seemed to enjoy the name and agreed that it was a “great nickname.”

Kessler joined the Lakers in July 2026 through a sign-and-trade deal with the Utah Jazz. He officially signed a four-year, $130 million contract with a player option. In exchange, Los Angeles sent Utah unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, along with first-round pick swaps in 2028 and 2030.

Against Golden State, Kessler finished with 26 points on 12-for-12 shooting. He also made 2-of-4 of his free throws while recording 9 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 blocks in 30 minutes.

With that performance, Kessler became just the second player in Lakers franchise history to make at least 12 field goals without missing a single attempt. The only other player to achieve that feat was Wilt Chamberlain, who scored 34 points on 14-for-14 shooting in 1969.

The center also recorded 10 dunks, which is the most by a Lakers player since O’Neal himself in 2003, according to ESPN. His 10 dunks were the most by a Lakers player since Shaquille O’Neal in 2003.

If we look at the game, the Lakers had a decent start and held a narrow one-point lead after the first quarter. However, they pushed a bit in the second quarter and extended their advantage to 14 points by halftime.

Los Angeles then added another 61 points in the second half, leaving the Warriors unable to mount a comeback as the Lakers secured a comfortable 22-point victory.

Kessler could hardly have asked for a better start to his Lakers career. However, one impressive game is only the beginning. It now remains to be seen whether the seven-footer can build on his historic debut when the Lakers face the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday.