NBA draft: Lakers select Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht with 1st-round pick

The 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.

EL SEGUNDO — The Lakers selected Tennessee wing Dalton Knecht with the No. 17 pick in the NBA draft on Wednesday night.

The 6-foot-5 Knecht, 23, spent the last season with the Volunteers after playing at Northern Colorado (2021-23) and Northeastern Junior College (2019-21).

The 2023-24 SEC Player of the Year, Knecht averaged 21.7 points (45.8% shooting), 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.

He is considered superb at shooting off screens and can light it up in a hurry, like he did while scoring 37 points against Purdue in an Elite Eight game of the NCAA Tournament in March. Knecht is considered close to a finished product who should be able to contribute right away.

The second round of the draft will take place on Thursday after the league changed the draft’s format from one day to two days.

The Lakers also have the No. 55 pick in the draft.

More to come on this story.