Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James offered high praise for rookie wing Dalton Knecht on Tuesday night following Knecht’s electrifying performance, scoring a team-high 37 points in a 124-118 victory over the Utah Jazz.
When reporters asked James about the Lakers’ front office “finding” Knecht with the No. 17 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, LeBron shifted the narrative.
He asserted that Knecht’s availability at 17 was less about the Lakers unearthing a hidden gem and more about other teams missing out:
“They 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’ an SEC Player of the Year.”
Knecht set a new NBA rookie record during the game, making nine three-pointers, including a perfect 6-for-6 performance from beyond the arc in the third quarter.
Knecht’s ascent began during his lone season at Tennessee, where he transferred after playing at Northern Colorado. In that season, Knecht averaged 21.7 points per game and earned SEC Player of the Year honors.
James had publicly lauded Knecht’s abilities during his college career. When asked about those comments on Tuesday, LeBron playfully addressed skeptics who frequently label his retrospective claims as fabrications:
The 39-year-old superstar admitted he was stunned that Knecht fell to the Lakers at No. 17, calling it “impossible” but expressing gratitude for the outcome.
Knecht, meanwhile, shared his perspective, acknowledging he was “a little bit” surprised to fall to No. 17. However, he noted the fortunate landing spot alongside James, Anthony Davis, and the Lakers:
At 23 years old, Knecht’s age compared to other prospects likely contributed to his draft position.
Purdue’s Zach Edey was the only college senior selected in the lottery, and Knecht was the next senior off the board at No. 17.
Still, Knecht’s selection has already paid dividends for the Lakers. His nine three-pointers not only tied the NBA rookie record for a single game but also placed him in elite company.
He became just the fourth player in Lakers history to hit at least nine triples in a game, joining LeBron, D’Angelo Russell, and Kobe Bryant.
In total, Knecht shot an impressive 12-of-16 from the field and 9-of-12 from three-point range during the best game of his young career. His stellar performance helped the Lakers improve to 10-4 and 2-0 in NBA Cup play.
Knecht’s season started inconsistently, but he has now scored in double figures in four consecutive games, including back-to-back outings with 27 or more points.
He’s averaging 11.3 points per game, ranking sixth on the team, while tying LeBron with 2.3 three-pointers made per contest.
Moreover, Knecht’s shooting efficiency stands out, as he’s converting an impressive 46.4% from beyond the arc.
Although the Lakers didn’t land a marquee third star to pair with James and Davis in the offseason, Knecht has emerged as a major addition.
His rapid development has bolstered the team, making the Lakers an even more formidable contender.
