Los Angeles Lakers first-year wing Dalton Knecht has been playing on “rookie mode” in his last two games.
It was quite a shock when Tennessee standout, Dalton Knecht, had not heard his name called through 16 picks of the 2024 NBA Draft. After transferring from Northern Colorado, the fifth-year sharpshooter erupted for 21 points a game on 40% shooting from beyond the arc, propelling the Volunteers to the Elite Eight and capturing the 2023-24 SEC Player of the Year by a unanimous vote.
Surprised to see Knecht still on the board, the Los Angeles Lakers wasted no time snagging the 23-year-old guard with the 17th pick to bolster their three-point shooting. Just over ten games into the season, Knecht has become a fundamental cog in JJ Redick’s well-oiled machine, pleading his case that the Lakers pulled off a highway robbery.
Knecht has caught fire for the Lakers
Knecht has seen a sizable increase in playing time since forward Rui Hachimura went down with an ankle injury last week and he’s made the most of every minute. On Saturday, the rookie went off for 27 points in 37 minutes against the Pelicans, draining five deep balls to accompany his seven rebounds and two steals.
The 6-foot-6 guard picked up right where he left off on Tuesday by putting on a show for the Hollywood crowd against Utah. Knecht was a one-man band against the Jazz, where he ignited for a career-high 37 points on 16 shots, scoring 21 in just the third quarter alone.
Knecht connected on a whopping nine triples during the contest which tied the NBA rookie record.
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The rookie guard is averaging 11 points, two rebounds, and an assist per game on 52% shooting and 46% from beyond the arc, serving as a key contributor to the Lakers’ six-game win streak. After not appearing on the NBA Rookie Ladder earlier this month, Knecht has skyrocketed to No. 3 in the most recent rankings.
LeBron James isn’t surprised by Knecht’s success
After Tuesday’s contest, Lakers superstar LeBron James was asked about the team’s ability to “find” Knecht with the 17th pick in the draft. There, the Lakers superstar bluntly told reporters that rival front offices simply dropped the ball by not drafting him sooner.
“[Our front office] didn’t ‘find’ DK,” James said. “The other 16 teams f–ked it up. Did anybody watch him? S–t. They just didn’t f–k it up. You don’t ‘find’ a SEC Player of the Year.”
The Lakers, who are currently placed third in the west with a 10-4 record, return to action tonight against the Orlando Magic in downtown Los Angeles at 10:30 p.m. Eastern.
