What former Tennessee Volunteers star Dalton Knecht is getting done in his rookie season is simply unreal. Taken with the No. 17 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Knecht was hoping to make a splash for the LA Lakers in Year 1 with the team. He's doing that and more.
On Tuesday night, Knecht was on absolute fire in the 124-118 win over Utah. Knecht finished with a career-high 37 points, setting the new season-high for rookies across the entire league. He simply could not be stopped shooting from downtown.
LeBron James had a close-up look at how great Knecht looked and he was loving every minute of it. Following the win, James had no choice but to call out the teams who somehow let Knecht fall to No. 17. He did so while letting the expletives fly, showcasing how passionate he is about hyping up his new teammate:
LeBron James on the Lakers’ front office finding Dalton Knecht with the No. 17 pick: “They didn’t find DK. The other 16 teams fucked it up. Did anybody watch him? What the fuck? Shit. They just didn’t fuck it up.” pic.twitter.com/9C5658kSWB
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) November 20, 2024
LeBron James is loving what he's seeing out of Dalton Knecht this season
You've got to love seeing that from James. He's one of the best players of all time, arguably the GOAT, and Knecht is impressing him in the best way possible. On the year, the former Tennessee All-American is averaging 11.3 points and 2.5 rebounds per game.
His outside shooting has been tremendous, which should come as no surprise to Vols fans. Last season, his lone campaign with the team, Knecht was just about automatic shooting the rock. It led to him taking home SEC Player of the Year honors.
Knecht has been a ton of fun to watch this season and he's only getting started. His time in Knoxville wasn't long, but thanks to his great play and awesome personality, he's a player people are going to keep watching for quite some time at the next level. Thankfully, Knecht is looking like a stud and he is playing a big role in the Lakers' strong start to the season. James is all smiles seeing him ball out too.