Shaquille O'Neal makes hugely audacious statement about Walker Kessler

Shaquille O Neal, once a legendary center who helped the Los Angeles Lakers win three consecutive NBA championships, is now a part of the Inside the NBA crew. Though he has been critical of some centers who came after him, including Dwight Howard, he lavished praise on Walker Kessler shortly after Kessler's regular-season debut with the Lakers on Wednesday.

Kessler had an impressive game, scoring 26 points on 12-of-12 shooting, grabbing nine rebounds, and recording two blocks. Following the Lakers' 127-105 victory, O Neal made a bold claim about Kessler's standing in the league, stating, "Walker Kessler is the best big man in the NBA." The former Lakers star's high praise for the team's new center, coupled with Kessler's strong performance, suggests that he could be every bit as impactful as O Neal had anticipated.

While Kessler will provide the Lakers with easy baskets and limit opponents' second-shot opportunities, he will also offer the team putback opportunities, which have been scarce for the team in recent seasons. The Lakers have some defensive and rebounding issues to address, as they outrebounded Golden State 43-36 but still gave up 15 offensive rebounds and 20 second-chance points.

However, Kessler's strong defense and rebounding skills could help the Lakers improve in these areas. So far, the new look Purple and Gold, with Walker Kessler as their starting center, seems to be off to a promising start.