What Dalton Knecht’s SEC scoring burst means for NBA Draft stock, how to complete the puzzle

When Tennessee landed a transfer portal commitment from Northern Colorado star Dalton Knecht, it likely took a google search for fans to get excited about what the 6-foot-6 forward could bring. Now, his name should be on every NBA Draft board.

Dalton Knecht started his career at Northeastern (CO) Junior College before moving to the Big Sky Conference, quickly becoming one of the best offensive players at the mid-major level. That production earned him a look by Rick Barnes, who felt that his scoring prowess could be the missing piece for a Tennessee team which lacked punch on that end.

The marriage was not without question marks though, as Knecht never made an impact on defense before arriving in Knoxville.

Dalton Knecht’s strengths

Dalton Knecht is one of the best offensive players in college basketball. The only question about his game on that end of the floor entering the 2023-24 season was whether he could sustain the numbers while playing alongside better talent and against a higher level of athlete in the SEC.

Those questions have been emphatically answered in mid-January, with a 39-point performance on Tuesday capping an incredible week-long barrage.

Over the past three games, Knecht is averaging 34.3 points and 6.0 rebounds on 57.4-percent shooting and 56.5-percent from the 3-point line. He also set the Tennessee school record for points in a three-game stretch, and became the first SEC player to score 35-plus points in consecutive games since 1990.

Over the first 17 games of the season, his career-best 48.6-percent shooting and 41.7-percent mark from beyond the arc make it clear how potent he can be.

Even more important for his NBA Draft stock than the numbers is how it translates to the next level, where he likely will not have the ball in his hands consistently and will start off the bench as one of many scoring options within each possession.

Being able to find space while guards like Zakai Zeigler, Jordan Gainey and Santiago Vescovi drive through the lane showcases his ability to catch and shoot or cut to the basket. At his size, the ability to find space and work off the ball make him an easy projection for teams with solid point guard play.

Dalton Knecht’s weakness

To this point in his career, Dalton Knecht’s second largest roadblock to an NBA job – the first being exposure – has been his defense. With the first issue resolved, he went to the right place to solve the second.

Rick Barnes is heralded as one of the best defensive minds in college basketball, always ranking among the best in the country on that end. Knecht understood that no matter how well he played on offense, he would need to improve defensively to stick on the floor.

He has done just that so far this season. While there is a long way to go before it is considered a strength of his game, there are signs of willingness and effort there.

3-and-D has become the motto for NBA wings off the bench, but not all of them possess equal amounts of each skill. Becoming competent on that end of the floor by learning how to handle screens and play help-side defense opens the door to the first round.

Beyond that, plenty NBA players have shown that the type of commitment Knecht has shown can lead further despite limited athletic traits. Advanced foot placement, understanding of tendencies and skillful close-outs could take him closer to the lottery.