The Lakers have selected Dalton Knecht with the No. 17 pick of the 2024 NBA Draft.
LeBron James is already a fan of Knecht, giving him a shoutout during the season after his big performance in the NCAA Tournament against Purdue.
Knecht fell into the Lakers’ lap. The Tennesse guard was expected to be a lottery pick but dropped to the Lakers in the middle of the first round.
He comes into the league having played a full collegiate career and ended his senior season averaging 21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.
In the biggest game of his senior year, Knecht came up huge, scoring 37 points in 37 minutes, ultimately losing to the Purdue Boilermakers 72-66 in the Elite Eight.
Knecht is an elite off-ball scorer and a good 3-point shooter, converting 39.7% of his shots from deep. He joins the Lakers as one of the most ready-now rookies from this 2024 NBA class, which is exactly what a team with championship aspirations needs.
If Knecht’s elite shooting translates to the NBA, it will create space for LeBron James and Anthony Davis to operate in. A player like that has been desperately needed on the Lakers roster for years.
Knecht, standing at 6’5 and with a wingspan of 6’9, adds some size to the Lakers’ backcourt. He could be a great pairing with guards like Austin Reaves and Max Christie as part of the youth movement in Los Angeles.
He also has a knack for making tough, contested shots and finishing strong near the rim with a 39-inch vertical leap.
He could improve defensively, as he gives a full effort on that side of the floor but lacks quick lateral movement. The plus side for him defensively, however, is that he does have a strong frame, weighing in at 212 pounds.
Based on where the Lakers drafted and who was available, it certainly looks like they took the best player projected, as Knecht was ranked at No. 7 on DraftExpress’ big board. Here’s what they had to say about Knecht:
Knecht is the top all-around scorer in this class, and he carried Tennessee last season with his shot-making prowess, pop as a finisher, ability to draw fouls putting the ball down aggressively and tremendous scoring instincts from the wing.
Overall, it feels like a big win for the Lakers, landing a player who slid down the draft one year after passing on that very same situation.
