Originally published by LakersNation.com
The Los Angeles Lakers may have gotten the steal of the 2024 NBA Draft when they took Dalton Knecht at No. 17 overall in the first round.
Knecht showed flashes of the kind of scorer he could be in Summer League and preseason, but it’s finally started to come together during the 2024-25 season.
Knecht has become a fixture in head coach JJ Redick’s rotation and is quickly making a case for more minutes. The rookie has added some much-needed outside scoring and spacing to the lineup and is shooting the basketball with confidence right now.
Austin Reaves has been impressed with Knecht dating back to the guard’s time at Tennessee and revealed he would text him after games.
“I just randomly one day saw him going crazy doing what he did in college and obviously I was very impressed with the way he scores the ball,” Reaves said after practice on Monday. “The way he willed his Tennessee team to a lot of wins was special and I’d like to show my respects when I really like guys that have a lot of talent, and he’s one of those guys. I would text him after games that I saw and congratulate him on the accolades that he was putting up. That’s really it.”
Reaves acknowledged he was surprised Knecht slipped down the draft board to Los Angeles but has been happy with the relationship they’ve fostered so far.
“It was crazy. I don’t know if I would say I was watching, but I was somewhat paying attention and not seeing him name pop up on the board, I was like ‘Hmm, what’s going on?’ And then it kept getting to 13, 14, 15 and I was like as soon as it got to us at 17, in my brain it was a no-brainer.
“I don’t know what the process upstairs was but if I was a betting man, which I can’t bet, but if I was, that would’ve been my pick. I texted him that night and congratulated him and ever since then we’ve been shooting after practice together and creating a relationship. He’s a good kid.”
Reaves and Knecht have shown some solid chemistry on the floor and it’ll be exciting to see the latter continue to develop and grow over the course of the season.
LeBron James not surprised by strong performance from Dalton Knecht
With his pedigree, it’s not hard to envision Dalton Knecht having a long career in the league. After his recent game against the New Orleans Pelicans, LeBron James said he wasn’t surprised to see Knecht perform so well as he has been pro-ready for a while.
Similar to Austin Reaves, James has been following Knecht since his time at Tennessee.
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The Los Angeles Lakers may have gotten the steal of the 2024 NBA Draft when they took Dalton Knecht at No. 17 overall in the first round.
Knecht showed flashes of the kind of scorer he could be in Summer League and preseason, but it’s finally started to come together during the 2024-25 season.
Knecht has become a fixture in head coach JJ Redick’s rotation and is quickly making a case for more minutes. The rookie has added some much-needed outside scoring and spacing to the lineup and is shooting the basketball with confidence right now.
Austin Reaves has been impressed with Knecht dating back to the guard’s time at Tennessee and revealed he would text him after games.
“I just randomly one day saw him going crazy doing what he did in college and obviously I was very impressed with the way he scores the ball,” Reaves said after practice on Monday. “The way he willed his Tennessee team to a lot of wins was special and I’d like to show my respects when I really like guys that have a lot of talent, and he’s one of those guys. I would text him after games that I saw and congratulate him on the accolades that he was putting up. That’s really it.”
Reaves acknowledged he was surprised Knecht slipped down the draft board to Los Angeles but has been happy with the relationship they’ve fostered so far.
“It was crazy. I don’t know if I would say I was watching, but I was somewhat paying attention and not seeing him name pop up on the board, I was like ‘Hmm, what’s going on?’ And then it kept getting to 13, 14, 15 and I was like as soon as it got to us at 17, in my brain it was a no-brainer.
“I don’t know what the process upstairs was but if I was a betting man, which I can’t bet, but if I was, that would’ve been my pick. I texted him that night and congratulated him and ever since then we’ve been shooting after practice together and creating a relationship. He’s a good kid.”
Reaves and Knecht have shown some solid chemistry on the floor and it’ll be exciting to see the latter continue to develop and grow over the course of the season.
LeBron James not surprised by strong performance from Dalton Knecht
With his pedigree, it’s not hard to envision Dalton Knecht having a long career in the league. After his recent game against the New Orleans Pelicans, LeBron James said he wasn’t surprised to see Knecht perform so well as he has been pro-ready for a while.
Similar to Austin Reaves, James has been following Knecht since his time at Tennessee.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!
