When the Los Angeles Lakers drafted Dalton Knecht, he knew his life was about to change playing for one of the most popular organizations in sports.
Born in North Dakota, Knecht playing in L.A. automatically presents plenty of opportunities to make a name for himself. When he opted to wear No. 4, that felt like a masterful marketing move, given his last name and the game Connect 4.
After a rescinded trade with the Charlotte Hornets, the rookie would make an unexpected and awkward return to the Lakers. Now, over a month has passed since that trade, and opportunities are presenting themselves for Knecht as El Pollo Loco announced a collaboration with the 23-year-old:
collab coming this summer… 👀 pic.twitter.com/tGHhX6s5Ie
— El Pollo Loco (@ElPolloLoco) March 29, 2025
This is a fascinating opportunity as Knecht is the first athlete to partner with the restaurant. Details have yet to be revealed on the capacity of this partnership, but athletes tend to get their own signature meal in these kinds of deals.
Given Knecht’s impressive scoring ability, he has provided memorable performances for the purple and gold in his rookie season. He notably put up a career-high 37 points against the Utah Jazz back in November and became a fan favorite ever since.
Hopefully, this is a snowball effect for the former Tennessee Volunteer as more marketing opportunities present themselves. It is also a testament to the hard work Knecht has put into his craft through all the years and these are rewards that come with it.
Dalton Knecht appreciates encourage from Austin Reaves
All things considered, this season has been a roller coaster for Dalton Knecht, as is the case for most rookies. But, not many players can say that they went through a rescinded trade and that is an awkward feeling for all parties involved now that he is back with the Lakers.
However, Knecht handled that emotional baggage as a professional and that is impressive as a first-year player. Since returning to L.A., head coach JJ Redick has given Knecht an opportunity to simply play basketball and try to move on and he has made the most of it.
During a recent matchup with Denver Nuggets, the Lakers were extremely shorthanded, leaving Austin Reaves and Knecht as the lone true scoring options and they both showed out. Before the game, Reaves encourage the rookie and those inspirational words seemed to play a part in Knecht dropping 32 points.
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