Three players who stood out after week one of the NBA season

After one of the NBA's most hectic offseasons, anticipation for opening week was sky-high. With some of the best stars in new places and the promise of a skill-packed rookie class, questions arose about who would deliver. Now that week one is in the books, three players have already made their case. Here’s who stood out:

Walker Kessler.

Kessler appeared in just five games last season due to injury with the Utah Jazz.

In his debut with the Los Angeles Lakers, Kessler made every single shot he took (12/12), ending the night with 26 points. In game two, he had 22 points, six blocks, and three steals.

Among players who have attempted 20 or more shots thus far this year, Kessler leads the league in FG%, shooting 84.6% from the floor, a 13-point gap over second-place Brook Lopez.

He is poised to take the next step alongside his star teammates Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, who will only amplify his best skill sets: protecting and finishing at the rim. He will have an even higher ceiling if he continues to work on his free throws, which sit at 44% on the year thus far.

Yaxel Lendeborg.

Yaxel Lendeborg, the 11th pick in the 2026 draft, had some words for Luka Dončić, and he backed them up with a statement in his first three games.

In game one against the Lakers, Lendenborg contributed 12 points. The real highlight of the game came from the challenge of guarding Dončić. Despite scoring 23 points in the first half alone, just two of those points came when matched up against Lendenborg. Over the opening half, Dončić was shooting 0 for 4 from the field when Lendenborg was his primary defender.

In Friday night's game against Memphis, he had a double-double, scoring 18 points and 13 rebounds, as well as three steals. Then, in game two of the back-to-back against Phoenix, Lendeborg had 26 points and nine rebounds.

While still new, the Warriors are leaning on him already, especially amid early struggles (0-3) for the team. In his first two games, he led Golden State in rebounds, free-throw attempts, and total minutes. On Saturday, he led his team in points and was second in rebounds.

No other player who debuted since November 1997 has reached 56 points, 25 rebounds, and 13 assists in their first three games.

Maybe every team could use a rookie who has no fear of trash-talking a six-time All-NBA first-teamer.

Tyrese Maxey.

Heads were turning in the offseason after Jaylen Brown was traded to Philadelphia for rival Boston Celtics 36-year-old Paul George. Then, LeBron James announced his decision to come to the Sixers.

With a roster absolutely loaded with stars, it was now up to coach Nick Nurse to figure out how the talent would work best and what sacrifices would have to be made.

One player who hasn’t taken long to adjust is Tyrese Maxey.

In the first three games, Maxey led the league with 86 points while logging his usual league-high in minutes. He is also the only player in the league who scored 26 or more in every game of the week. Across their first three games, Philadelphia went 3-0, and he was +43 in those contests.

On opening night against the defending Champion New York Knicks, Maxey paced the Sixers with 28 points, three steals, and three blocks, making the immediate statement that Philly was going to be a hard team to beat.

In his previous six seasons, Maxey’s scoring has increased in each consecutive year. Already pacing the Sixers in scoring this year, Maxey is the unquestioned leader of the franchise, putting him in the conversation for MVP and leading his star-studded team in the quest for a ring.