Going into the 2024 NBA Draft, most experts ranked Los Angeles Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht in the top 10 prospects. Though his ceiling was perceived as a bit lower than other younger prospects, he was viewed as someone who can contribute immediately and winning SEC Player of the Year was proof he could perform on the biggest stages.
The fact that he fell to the Lakers with the 17th overall pick was a surprise to basically everyone and Knecht was immediately viewed as one of the biggest steals of the draft. So far he is proving everyone right, especially following his 37-point explosion in the Lakers’ win over the Utah Jazz in which he tied an NBA rookie record with nine 3-pointers.