The Los Angeles Lakers took a decisive step towards rejuvenating their lineup by drafting Dalton Knecht, a former standout guard from Tennessee, with the 17th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft yesterday. Knecht, who made quite the impression in college basketball with his scoring ability, will now take his talents to the City of Angels, where expectations are perennially as high as the Hollywood sign.
Knecht's collegiate career, to put modestly, is notable. He transferred from the University of Northern Colorado to play at Tennessee, where he blazed past defenders to average 21.7 points per game and shoot almost 40% from the three-point line. His sheer numbers and on-court impact earned him the title of SEC Player of the Year and a spot as a Naismith Trophy finalist, as reported by WVLT. Not your average transfer student, by any means.
Coming into the draft night, there were speculations that the Lakers might trade their pick, but when Knecht was still available at number 17, the Lakers saw an opportunity they couldn't pass up. Despite being projected by several media outlets to be taken as high as the 6th pick, Knecht slid out of the lottery picks, only to land with the Lakers, a fact not lost on Rob Pelinka, Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager for Los Angeles Lakers. "We would have never imagined a player as skilled and perfect for our needs would be there for us," Pelinka said in a statement obtained by NBC Los Angeles. "We had him as a top 10 player unanimously across our scouting boards."
This sentiment is echoed by the Lakers' faith in Knecht's three-level scoring and their view of him as an immediate and future asset. The Lakers' roster, featuring the likes of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, may have just found the perimeter threat it sorely needs in Knecht. The Lakers are betting on his physicality, defense, and scoring versatility to elevate their team back into contention—a move fans are hoping pays off sooner rather than later. His unexpected fall to the 17th pick likely adds an extra chip on his shoulder, an intangible that can't be quantified by his impressive stats alone.
According to WCYB, Knecht is the first Vol to be drafted in the top 20 since Tobias Harris in 2011, marking a significant step for the player who started at Northeastern Junior College before jumping to Division I play. Despite landing outside of the lottery, Knecht's journey from an under-the-radar prospect to donning the prestigious purple and gold is just the kind of story that keeps the draft, and the sport, endlessly intriguing.
