Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht is having his bright spots in the NBA and LeBron James insists that other teams were heavily mistaken not to draft him in the offseason.
In the Lakers’ 124-118 win over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday, the Tennessee product shined with a 37-point performance, shooting 12-for-16 from the field and 9-for-12 from three.
When James was asked about the Lakers’ front office finding the rookie postgame, he pointed out how 16 teams missed out before the Purple and Gold drafted Knecht with the 17th pick.
‘They didn’t find DK, the other 16 teams f***ed it up,’ James said. ‘Did anybody watch him? S***, if they just didn’t f*** it up.’
Several performances throughout the season have shown flashes of the 23-year-old guard’s potential.
Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht dropped 37 points in a 124-118 win over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday
Averaging, 21.5 minutes, 11.3 points, and 2.5 rebounds, Knecht continuously raised his scoring highs in the big leagues. On Oct. 30, he dropped 18 points in a loss to Cleveland. He then clocked in 19 in a victory over the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA Cup on Nov. 13.
Before his memorable 37-point outing, Knecht recorded 27 points and a season-high seven boards as the Lakers overcame the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday.
The consistency of his performances continues to shine despite Knecht being listed fourth under just one position on the Lakers’ depth chart.
In his final year in the NCAA, Knecht averaged 21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 30.5 minutes for the Volunteers as a senior.
King James previously shared his praise for Knecht before they became teammates. During March Madness, James told reporters ‘We watched that Purdue-Tennessee game because of Zach Edey and Knecht.’
The Lakers sit third in the Western Conference with a 10-4 record behind first-placed Warriors and second-place Thunder.
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