Collin Sexton Set for Lakers Season Debut Against Clippers
After missing the season opener due to a calf strain, the Lakers guard is cleared to play and eager to contribute.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Collin Sexton is set to make his season debut Friday night against the Clippers after recovering from a strained right soleus, also known as a calf injury. Sexton had been sidelined for the entire preseason but felt close to playing in the Lakers' season-opening game on Wednesday.
"I’m super excited," Sexton said Friday after the team’s shootaround. "Look forward to it. Just ready to get out there and get it to the guys and be back playing some basketball again." He expressed that the wait to play was "definitely disappointing" but focused on maintaining a positive attitude and leadership role while sidelined.
While Sexton is cleared to play, he anticipates being on a playing time restriction for his first game back. He had not yet discussed the specifics of his minutes allocation with coach JJ Redick as of Friday morning.
Sexton also commented on his former teammate Walker Kessler's impressive performance in his own Lakers debut. Kessler, a center, scored 26 points on a perfect 12-for-12 shooting night against the Warriors. His 10 dunks in that game were the most by a Laker since Shaquille O'Neal in 2003 and the most by any player in the league since the play-by-play era began in the 1996-97 season. "Walker had a great game," Sexton said. "It was one of those games where [he] just let the jitters out. So, it was pretty cool to see him start his Laker debut like that. I was super excited for him."
The 6-foot-3 guard was signed by the Lakers to a two-year, $19.2 million contract in July. He brings career averages of 18.3 points and 3.6 assists per game to the team.