Dalton Knecht was drafted in the first round by 17-time NBA champions, the Los Angeles Lakers. LeBron James heard about Knecht before the draft. He praised the former Tennessee basketball player after he racked up 37 points in an Elite Eight loss.
Dalton Knecht started his collegiate basketball career at the small Northeastern Junior College. Now, he is a first-round draft pick for the 17-time NBA champions, the Los Angeles Lakers.. “I mean they’re, they’re one of the greatest franchises in the NBA. And then you talk about the best, probably, basketball player ever that ever laced up a pair of sneakers, it’s a huge accomplishment for him to be able to go to the Lakers plus to play alongside of LeBron .
James already heard about the new Laker before he was drafted to Los Angeles. He praised the former Tennessee basketball player after he racked up 37 points in an NCAA Tournament Elite Eight loss against Purdue. The newest Laker opened up about what that meant for him. “I woke up and rolled out of bed and I thought it was fake because tons of people were texting me. I was just like, ‘There’s no way,’”Throughout Knecht’s collegiate career, he played two seasons for Northern Colorado University following his two-year stint on a Colorado junior college team. He used his fifth year of NCAA eligibility to join Tennessee, who went 27-9 last season.
His standout performance in the SEC made it no surprise that Knecht was drafted in the first round. The Lakers even expected him to be taken before they would get the chance to use their 17th pick on him. The team had their eyes on Colorado’s Tristan Da Silva, Baylor’s Ja’Kobe Walter and Yves Missi, and Cal’s Jaylon Tyson. When it finally came to be the Lakers’ turn, they realized all four players were available, and unexpectedly, so was Knecht.Samantha Garcia is a student at the University of California, Los Angeles. She is majoring in Psychology and minoring in Professional Writing. She is also a sports writer for the Daily Bruin at UCLA.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
LeBron James Complimented Lakers Draft Pick Dalton Knecht in Past InterviewThe Lakers star tuned in to catch one of Dalton Knecht's games this spring.
Read more »
Lakers News: LA Fans React to Dalton Knecht Draft Pick in First RoundLA fans gave their overall consensus of the pick.
Read more »
Jake Gyllenhaal's Road House 2 Tease Totally Ignores The Premise Of The Original Swayze MovieRoad House 2024 Knox Elwood Dalton and 1989 Patrick Swayze as James Dalton
Read more »
NBA draft: Lakers select Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht with 1st-round pickThe 2023-24 SEC Player of the Year, Knecht averaged 21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 36 games with the Volunteers. He shot 39.7% from 3-point range on 6.5 attempts per game.
Read more »
NBA Draft Team Fit Watch: Tennessee's Dalton KnechtExamining the top three team fits for the lottery projected wing out of Tennessee.
Read more »
NBA Draft Team Fit Watch: Tennessee's Dalton KnechtExamining the top three team fits for the lottery projected wing out of Tennessee.
Read more »