Walker Kessler admitted he was nervous before making his Los Angeles Lakers preseason debut against the Golden State Warriors, but said he enjoyed returning to the court after a lengthy absence. The center recorded 11 points, nine rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block in 16 minutes during Tuesday’s 101-89 loss at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
“It was a lot of fun being out there again. You know, it’s been so long,” Kessler said after the game. “Before the game, I was actually pretty nervous, but getting out there and just playing with the guys, it was a blast.”
Kessler shot 4-for-6 from the field and made three of his four free throws in his first preseason appearance. The Lakers led 63-50 at halftime, but Golden State outscored them 51-26 in the second half to complete the comeback.
Asked about head coach JJ Redick’s message for him this season, Kessler explained that the emphasis is on maintaining intensity on both ends of the floor.
“JJ and I talked, and that’s kind of where we came up for this year is relentless,” Kessler said. “For me, that means just crashing every time, trying to be a presence in the paint, outside, run, play hard, don’t take plays off on the offensive and defensive end. So that’s going to be my goal for this year.”
Kessler also credited his teammates for their defensive work and ball movement during his first-half minutes, rather than attributing the team’s early success solely to his own presence.
He was particularly encouraged by his early connection with Austin Reaves, who led all scorers with 28 points and added seven assists and four rebounds.
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“With Austin, he’s so good at making the right decision out of the pick and roll,” Kessler said. He also highlighted Reaves’ ability to find the corner player when the defense collapses toward the basket.
Kessler acknowledged that his own rhythm still needs time to return. Reflecting on one of his early finishes, he said: “That first layup I had made, I almost fell out of bounds. I had no footing whatsoever.”
Kessler said the part of basketball he missed most during his time away was the competition itself, particularly the opportunity to play for wins.
“What I miss most was just competing, quite frankly, competing to win,” he said. He added that the time away had strengthened his desire to win every game, which he believes can help him become a better player.
The center also identified an area for improvement after facing Golden State’s five-out offense, which forced him to defend guards and wings in space.
“I got to do a better job recognizing that matchup and contesting those threes,” Kessler said, while expressing confidence that additional playing time would help him adjust.
Asked what he needs to improve before the regular season, Kessler again pointed to his feel for the game rather than conditioning.
“I think just game feel, honestly. And I think that will come with time and just playing with the guys now that I’m cleared,” he said.
The Lakers fell to 2-2 in preseason play after the defeat, while the Warriors improved to 3-2.
