Dalton Knecht excited to play with ‘one of the greats’ in LeBron James

The newest Laker, Dalton Knecht, is ready to play for the franchise and can’t wait to share the floor with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

The Lakers had Dalton Knecht as a top-10 player on their draft board and didn’t expect him to be available at No. 17. However, once he fell to them, they made the easy choice and drafted Knecht in the first round.

His reason for falling is perplexing as he had no off-court issues or injury concerns, but a player unexpectedly slips every draft and the Lakers were there to pick him up.

Most draft experts love the selection and view Knecht as a ready-now player who can impact winning immediately.

After being drafted, Knecht shared his enthusiasm for becoming a Laker and playing with LeBron James.

“It feels great, to play with one of the greats to ever touch a basketball,” Knecht said. “It’s going to be exciting to go put on a show for L.A.

Knecht certainly balled out as a senior at Tennessee. He averaged 21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game and was a bonafide shooter, converting on 39.7% of his shots from 3-point range.

Knecht also shared his enthusiasm at the prospect of sharing the floor with Anthony Davis.

“Yeah, like you said, AD is there,” Knecht said. “I get to learn from one of the greatest in LeBron and AD to help me each step of the way on both sides of the floor. I’m excited just to go out there and compete.”

Knecht will be looking to buck the trend of Lakers first round picks being glued to the bench during their first year.

Jalen Hood-Schifino averaged just 5.2 minutes per game in his rookie campaign and Max Christie fared a little better, averaging 12.5 minutes back in 2022-23.

Knecht, however, has more basketball experience, given that he played up to his senior year and is already 23 compared to Hood-Schifno and Christie, who will be 21 at the start of the next NBA season.

So, his optimism that he might be able to play more right away isn’t just wishful thinking; he has the archetype to do so given his age, size and potential fit on this roster.

The good news for Knecht is that JJ Redick is reportedly a “huge fan” of the selection and is already thinking of ways to get some open looks for his newest shooter.

If he can knock them down like he did for the Volunteers, he will stay on the floor and quickly become a fan favorite.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88.