“We would have never imagined a player as skilled and sort of perfect for our needs would be there for us, as is Dalton Knecht. We had him, you know, as a top 10 player unanimously across our scouting boards,” Rob Pelinka said after using their 17th pick to draft the Tennessee star, Dalton Knecht. Despite being a fifth-year senior, it wasn’t just the Lakers’ VP who had Knecht as a top-10 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Nearly every scout and executive was sure the 6’5 forward would be stolen before teams beyond the 10 would have a chance.

However, everything seemed to have worked out perfectly for all parties involved. The Lakers were looking for a draft prospect who would be NBA-ready. With the extensive experience that Knecht brings in and his brilliant sharpshooting skills, it was as one fan had described, a match made in heaven. 

Then again, it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise that the 23-year-old comes with a skill set that would make him a favorite with teams looking for someone who can make an immediate impact on the floor. North Dakota natives, the Knecht family have basketball running through their veins.

Both his parents were ballers. Dalton’s mother, Carrie, played basketball in high school. As for his father, Corey Knecht, a 6’3 point guard at Mayville State University, was instrumental in developing a young Dalton’s hooping skills. And his height.

Dalton Knecht – the ‘baby Kevin Durant’ is now ready for service

It was during his stint with the University of Northern Colorado that Dalton received the affectionate moniker ‘baby Kevin Durant’ from his UNC teammates. Not too much of a stretch, really. Given his tall frame and sharpshooting skills, many have even compared him to his new team’s new head coach, JJ Redick, a prolific shooter himself.

In his time with the Tennessee Volunteers last season, Knecht averaged 21.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game in their progress to the Elite Eight. That wasn’t all. The Thornton native was also just shy of 40% from beyond the arc, effectively becoming one of the best scorers. For his contributions, he was named the SEC Player of the Year and SEC Newcomer of the Year.

And if that wasn’t enough, he also received the Julius Erving Award, a distinction for the top small forwards at the collegiate level. Not to mention, a consensus First-Team All-American and was part of the Second-Team All-Big Sky in 2023. With him joining LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Dalton will surely benefit a great deal from the Lakers veterans. As will they.

 But before you go, be sure to check this video of Leonardo Armato’s take on the deadly duo, Shaq and Kobe.

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