Speaking up after the Lakers' latest win, LeBron James didn't hold back on his praise toward his rookie teammate, Dalton Knecht. The NBA rookie out of Tennessee had a career-high in points tonight (27), and the King made sure to give him his props.
"He's been a pro for a while. I talked about it last year so it's no surprise to me. His shooting, his finishes, he can get it off versus anybody," said James via Lakers Nation. "He's 6'8-6'9 and he's got a quick trigger, so it doesn't take long for him to get them up. He's sneaky athletic as well so his ability, when he starts getting those threes, to go and then he's putting the ball on the ground and finishing at the rim as well, we saw that a couple of times tonight. It was big time for us, especially with Rui being out and Cam being out. We had a lot of bodies out as well, just like they had."
The 2024 Draft was dominated by the Bronny James storyline for the Lakers and he remains a major headline even now as he plays out his stint in the G-League. But the Lakers' true success story of the 2024 Draft is Dalton Knecht, who has risen to become an important member of JJ Redick's rotation.
This season, through 12 games, Knecht is averaging 7.8 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game on 46.1% shooting. He's already started in 2 games for the Lakers this season, including against the Pelicans tonight when he put up a career-high 27 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals on 58.8% shooting.
Between his shooting, floor spacing, and playmaking, Dalton Knecht has been the perfect fit for the Lakers and he's playing like a man with 10 years of experience in the NBA. His arrival couldn't have come at a better time for the Lakers, who are looking to return to greatness once again in the LeBron James era.
With two healthy stars, a new coach, and a promising young rookie who can stretch the floor, the Lakers are in a better situation than they've been in years but the hard work is only just beginning. With most of the season still left to play, the Lakers have to find a way to maintain this pace and keep the momentum going all season long.
At just 23 years old, Knecht is bound to hit some bumps along the way but with the help of LeBron James and coach Redick, he can learn to be someone who makes his impact felt in every game whether it's through scoring or high-effort hustle plays.
As the 17th overall pick, Dalton Knecht is on the verge of making a lot of teams regret not calling his name on draft day but it's fair to say that it's all worked out in the end. With the Lakers, alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Knecht feels right at home and his skills will be useful here for as long as he's healthy enough to play.
Now that he's got LeBron's approval and coach JJ's green light, we can expect to see a lot more of Knecht, both on the court and maybe off of it, as he earns fame and notoriety for his success.
