i thought planeswalkers can be targeted when it says player, but not opponents. or was it the other way around?
You can only target a planeswalker if the card says "target planeswalker." However you may
redirect non-combat damage dealt to an opponent to one of their planeswalkers. It would seem this is rule 306.7.
"306.7. If noncombat damage would be dealt to a player by a source controlled by an opponent, that opponent may have that source deal that damage to a planeswalker the first player controls instead. This is a redirection effect (see rule 614.9) and is subject to the normal rules for ordering replacement effects (see rule 616). The opponent chooses whether to
redirect the damage as the redirection effect is applied."