DALTON KNECHT, such a Hollywood-sounding name, right? Well, we have the Los Angeles Lakers rookie sensation’s mother clarifying it for us. We weren’t wrong. It was inspired by Patrick Swayze’s character name from the 1989 film Road House, said Carrie Knecht in a recent interview for Colorado Community Media. Moreover, the 23-year-old baller not only took the name from the movie but also infused the character’s energy with him, as we often see on the hardwood.

Notably, it wasn’t long before the rising star came everything to a standstill and grabbed the attention of the NBA world with a scintillating performance. Not to forget that Knecht already had the media’s eyes on him because of the franchise’s popularity and, of course, he is playing alongside LeBron James. However, on that special occasion, the rookie overshadowed everyone when he scored 21 points in a single quarter, including 4 three-pointers in a row. Truly unbelievable stuff!

However, before reaching this stage, Dalton Knecht has had a long journey. In this article, let’s take a deep dive into the rising star’s background and the journey he had to make to face the blinding lights. “Ever since I touched the basketball… Started watching NBA, and I knew I wanted to be there and I trusted both my parents and how they got me there,” said Knecht in an introductory video. Let’s find out how it all started and more about his ethnicity.

Where did Dalton Knecht grow up? Los Angeles Lakers star’s nationality revealed

The Lakers rookie credited his parents, Corey and Carrie Knecht, for helping him reach heights. They both hold American nationality and are Caucasian Americans. The couple gave birth to their only son in Fargo, North Dakota, on April 19, 2001. Speaking of his birth, Carrie added, “I remember that day really well. I was way past my due date, I wanted him to be born… he was, like, 11 days late. And he was just very energetic, screaming.”

Living without siblings, Dalton often had his family’s Rhodesian Ridgeback, Nico as his partner, growing up. Unquestionably, we know where Knecht Jr. learned his trade as a baller. 6 ‘3 Corey had his own basketball legacy, playing for his college, Mayville State University, and passed it on to his son. The father-son duo is said to have had a fierce one-on-one battle in Dalton’s childhood. Maybe, now as well, this time, the junior can deploy the skills he learned from Bron. 

“My first memory around basketball was probably playing outside with my dad on a hoop somewhere like in a park or something, just going out there playing some HORSE.” Before we wonder about the results, Dalton himself said, “Of course, I won. He won’t say that, but I won.” This reminds us of something similar, right? Yeah, Stephen Curry and his father, Dell Curry, faced each other in a HORSE game. It was the 4x NBA Champ, who won it. No wonder ace shooters like Steph and Dalton could be unbeatable in that setup.

Understanding Dalton Knecht through his past

We all know that Knecht had a rollercoaster ride during his college, shifting through two colleges (Northern Colorado and Tennessee) before hitting the Lakers’ hardwood. Notably, King James himself gave a shoutout to Knecht way before the draft. Anyway, the rising star’s childhood before college was simple, spent most of it in North Dakota.

If you ask Dalton to describe himself, you’d hear the term “competitive” at least a couple of times. When the Lakers’ media team interviewed him, he said, “My favorite part of my game is just all around being an all-around type of guy just always competing… Lakers fans can expect a guy that’s going to go in the gym every single day and go out and compete every time he steps on the floor. He’s just going to go out and try to do whatever it takes to get a win.”

Notably, being competitive isn’t a mentality that Dalton developed in recent times, but it was something that came naturally to him. Speaking of his childhood, his father said that #4 always competed with opponents older than him. Corey also added, “Granted, he was a lot smaller than everybody else. But he was still holding his own, just so determined to get better.” This is what a Lakers fan would want to know about their thriving rookie.

The legacy franchise is indeed in the right hands. Dalton has already started a few games for the team and JJ Redick, who also happens to be one of his favorite players, has increased his minutes within 20 games into the season. Still, a long way to go for the rookie. Will he help LeBron James clinch his 5th title? Let us know in the comments below.