The Lakers have selected Dalton Knecht with the No. 17 pick in the 2024 draft.
After beginning his collegiate career at the JUCO level, Knecht played two seasons at Northern Colorado before making the jump to the SEC for his fifth year. The 6-foot-5 1/4 guard was elite in his lone season at Tennessee, leading the team to the Elite Eight while earning SEC Player of the Year and Consensus All-America honors. In 36 games, Knecht averaged 21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.6 blocks, and 2.6 3-pointers, while recording shooting splits of 45.8% from the field, 39.7% from the field and 77.2% from the foul line. He performed well at the NBA Draft Combine, ranking among the leaders in multiple athletic testing categories. Knecht was expected to go earlier in the draft, but his slide lands him with a team that will make room for him in their rotation to get his shooting on the floor. Knecht’s game may not be the best for fantasy, but his shooting will be vital as they look to bounce back after a first round exit.
