Leading up to the 2024 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers seemed like they were leaning towards keeping the No. 17 pick because of comments made by general manager Rob Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick.
Under the new CBA, teams will need to nail draft picks to to sustain payroll and field competitive rosters due to the punitive nature of the first and second aprons. However, Los Angeles was happy to stand pat when Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht somehow fell in their laps on day 1 of the draft.
Knecht was widely expected to go in the lottery, but apparent concerns about his age and defensive struggles dropped him to the Lakers, who wasted no time using their pick on him. Known for his outside shooting and ability to play both on and off the ball, Knecht is a perfect fit for Redick who the rookie studied extensively in college.
Shortly after getting drafted by the Lakers, Knecht revealed his favorite player is Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant and he admitted to trying to take moves from his game, via Spectrum SportsNet:
“I’ve always looked up to Kevin Durant just cause he’s my favorite player, so I try to implement his moves and stuff likes that,” Knecht said. “I just try to learn. I watched a lot of JJ Redick at Tennessee with Coach Barnes so I just kind of pick moves off from other people.”
Like Knecht, Durant’s a pure shooter who can score from all over the floor though he’s got much more height and touch near the paint than the rookie does. However, the Tennessee product seems to know his strengths well which bodes well for Los Angeles who will likely be thrust into action early on in his career.
While Knecht isn’t the same three-level scorer that Durant is, but he’ll have his fair share of open looks from distance playing next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis on the Lakers. James is one of the best playmakers in NBA history, while Davis has improved as a passer when teams decide to double him in the post.
The rookie sharpshooter landed in an ideal spot and it’ll be fun to see what he can do in his first year.
Dalton Knecht’s first jersey was Laker legend Kobe Bryant’s Christmas uniform
Dalton Knecht sounded excited when he found out he was going to the Lakers after waiting longer than expected in the green room, but he won over fans when he revealed that his first NBA jersey was Kobe Bryant’s Christmas jersey.
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