Los Angeles Lakers guard Dalton Knecht does a celebratory shrug during a shooting hot streak against the Utah Jazz on Tuesday in Los Angeles. Photo by Caroline Brehman/EPA-EFE
LeBron James called out the 16 teams that passed on Dalton Knecht in the 2024 NBA Draft after the Los Angeles Lakers guard scored 37 points against the Utah Jazz, fueled by a rookie record-tying nine 3-pointers.
Knecht made 12 of 16 shots overall and was 9 of 12 from 3-point range in the 124-118 win Tuesday in Los Angeles. James chipped in 26 points and 12 assists to help the Lakers (10-4) win their sixth-consecutive game. Advertisement
Knecht, who won SEC Player of the Year while at Tennessee last season, is averaging 11.3 points per game — the fourth-most among NBA rookies. He averaged 24.3 points over his last four appearances, which included three of his first four starts of the season.
“The other 16 teams [expletive] it up,” James told reporters, when asked about the Lakers getting Knecht with the No. 17 overall pick. Advertisement
“Did anybody watch him? They just didn’t [expletive] it up. You don’t ‘find’ a SEC player of the year.”
James told reporters in April that he watched Purdue play Tennessee in the 2024 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament because of Knecht and former Purdue star Zach Edey, who later joined the Memphis Grizzlies as the No. 9 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
“I watched Tennessee a lot,” James said Tuesday. “I did not think he was going to fall to us. I thought it would be impossible. I have no idea how that happened, but I’m very happy he is here. I knew exactly what we were getting when he fell to 17.”
Zaccharie Risacher, Alex Sarr, Reed Sheppard, Stephon Castle, Ron Holland, Tidjane Salaun, Donovan Clingan, Rob Dillingham, Cody Williams, Matas Buzelis, Nikola Topic, Devin Carter, Bub Carrington, Kel’el Ware and Jared McCain joined Edey as players picked before Knecht in the June 26 draft.
McCain leads all rookies with 15.2 points per game through his 13 appearances this season for the Philadelphia 76ers. Risacher ranks second with 12 points per game for the Atlanta Hawks. Jaylen Wells, a second-round pick, ranks third among rookies with 11.5 points per game for the Grizzlies. Advertisement
Knecht, who tied for seventh in the nation in points per game last year at Purdue, leads NBA rookies with 2.3 made 3-pointers per game.
“He is a shooter,” said Lakers center Anthony Davis, who logged 26 points, 14 rebounds and six assists against the Jazz. “Like I said before, any time he makes a shot, it gives us a spark.
“He is special to watch. When he is shooting the ball like that, it definitely gives us energy. We are going to keep going to him for sure.”
The Lakers are averaging the fourth-most points (117.3) in the NBA. They rank fifth in field goal percentage (48.3) and 11th in assists (27.4) per game. They also tied the Miami Heat for averaging the fourth-fewest turnovers (12.8) per game through their first 14 appearances.
Knecht scored 21 points in the third quarter Tuesday, including the Lakers’ final 18 points of the quarter. He also scored the Lakers’ first four points of the fourth quarter. He was 6 of 6 from 3-point range during his third-quarter outburst.
“I just got in a groove,” Knecht said. “My teammates found me and they were looking for me every time. … They made it really easy for me.” Advertisement
Jazz coach Will Hardy called his players “mentally disengaged” and criticized their energy level and awareness, especially when it came to defending Knecht during his hot streak.
Lakers coach J.J. Redick said Knecht’s shooting ability became “obvious” through his observations of the rookie over the last several weeks in shooting drills, small group games and pick-up scrimmages.
“We are happy for Dalton,” said Redick, who was one of the best 3-point shooters in history. “As a shooter, it’s fun to watch a guy who can get hot like that.”
Knecht and the Lakers, who are third in the Western Conference, will host the Orlando Magic (9-6), who are third in the Eastern Conference, at 10:30 p.m. EST Thursday in Los Angeles.
