All those who said Dalton Knecht would be the “steal” of the 2024 NBA draft were right on Thursday night.
Dalton Knecht’s Impressive Performance:
In an exciting game against the Suns, Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht scored 35 points. He was unstoppable in the fourth quarter and overtime, scoring 20 points in a row to help his team win 128-122. His shooting was incredible, making eight out of thirteen three-point shots. So far this preseason, he’s made 18 threes, which is only behind Brandon Miller and Payton Pritchard in the league.
Breaking Records and Gaining Support:
Knecht became the first Lakers rookie since at least 1996-97 to score over 30 points in a preseason game. After his amazing performance, LeBron James and Anthony Davis encouraged him by saying “it’s time” before overtime started. They wanted him to take charge and keep scoring.
Fans love seeing young players shine like this!
Knecht’s Unique Edge:
People think Knecht will continue to do well because of his experience and age. At 23 years old, he has played five years in college basketball with tough competition in the SEC conference. This makes him different from many other rookies who are just starting out.
Lakers’ new coach JJ Redick is thrilled to have Knecht on his team. He even called him one of the top shooters in the league! Before Thursdayโs game, Redick talked with Reggie Miller about how special Knechtโs shooting skills are.
Praise from LeBron James:
LeBron James couldn’t hold back his excitement about Knecht’s performance either! On Instagram, he commented on a post about Knecht saying things like “CANNON!!!!!!! That boy COLD!!!!” It’s clear that James appreciates having great shooters around him because it complements his style of play perfectly.
