Kennard makes his debut at the Lakers training facility! He could make his first appearance against the Warriors as soon as tomorrow, having scored more in high school than LeBron did.

On February 7th Beijing time, Lakers newcomer Kennard appeared at the team's training facility, where he will don the number 10 jersey. Earlier, the Lakers exchanged Vincent and a second-round draft pick to the Hawks for this elite shooter.

Kennard’s addition provides the Lakers with much-needed perimeter scoring. Over his career, he has maintained a three-point shooting accuracy of 44.2% (ranking second all-time in the league, just behind Korver’s 45.4%), and this season he tops the league with a 49.7% three-point shooting rate.

The 29-year-old shooter spoke with ESPN after appearing at the Lakers training center, visibly excited about joining the team: “I’m really thrilled. Returning to Los Angeles to play for the Lakers is undoubtedly a huge stage and an amazing opportunity to play alongside legendary players. I can’t wait.”

From 2020 to 2023, Kennard played three seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers, so joining the Lakers now feels like a kind of “homecoming” for him.

When asked about his Lakers debut, Kennard expressed hope to play in tomorrow’s game against the Golden State Warriors, but noted he still needs to complete some formalities:

“There are some routine league procedures, including passing a physical exam, which I hope to complete today. I can’t say for sure yet, so I can’t give a definite answer, but I really want to play. I’m ready.”

According to U.S. media reports, Kennard scored 2,977 points during his high school career, even surpassing LeBron James’s high school total of 2,657 points. Reflecting on outscoring LeBron in high school, Kennard said: “Of course, that’s a great memory and a major achievement from my high school days. People still bring it up sometimes. Now that I get to play alongside him and know him better, it all feels very fulfilling. Maybe I’ll mention it to him, but we’ll see.”

With Doncic likely to miss Sunday’s game, if Kennard is able to play, he will seize the chance to debut in the purple and gold, injecting much-needed scoring into the Lakers lineup. If he cannot play against the Warriors, his Lakers debut will likely be postponed to Tuesday’s matchup with the Thunder — another tough challenge for the team.

As a fellow top shooter from Duke University, Reddick is very optimistic about the Lakers signing Kennard.

“I’m happy for Kennard,” Reddick said. “I’ve known him for about 12 years, and I believe he’s one of the best shooters currently in the NBA. I’d strongly encourage him to take as many shots as possible and not waste any opportunities. One underrated aspect of his game is his off-ball movement, ability to initiate second-chance plays, and playmaking skills. You can see on every team he’s played for, he uses off-ball cuts to spark the offense, making the smartest passing decisions to energize the entire team’s attack. He will be a major threat from the corner and a highly effective off-ball scorer. We’re excited to have him on board.”

Do you think Kennard has a bright future with the Lakers? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.