Rick Barnes searching for next Dalton Knecht

Rick Barnes – like everyone else – is searching for the next Dalton Knecht who will take college basketball by storm. Whether that player ends up being Chaz Lanier or Darlinstone Dubar, who both transfer to Tennessee after standout performances at the mid-major level, remains to be seen.

The goal might seem impossible, finding an under-the-radar transfer who turns into a real Naismith Player of the Year candidate and first-round NBA Draft pick within a matter of months is not common after all. But Barnes believes the keys to what made Knecht special can be replicated on the way to maximizing opportunity.

“It won’t just happen,” said Barnes. “So what we talk about is starring in your role, whatever that may be.”

Dalton Knecht’s journey

As Rick Barnes recalls a year later, he did not know Dalton Knecht would be a starter entering the 2023-24 season and it only came to be during the preseason due to injuries and a family emergency for Santiago Vescovi. Questions about the scoring wing’s ability to play high-level defense remained as the Volunteers prepared to face Michigan State in the preseason, and defense is a non-negotiable.

“I remember talking to Tom Izzo prior to the game,” said Barnes. “I said ‘I’m going to start this guy, and I promise you if he does not play defense today I’m going to make a point and I’m going to sit him down to let him know that you’re not going to play if you don’t play defense.’”

A conversation with Jahmai Mashack later, Tennessee has a starting wing ready to burst onto the scene.

“You kind of saw the competitive drive he had in games,” said Mashack. “And that’s something that I saw off rip, especially in the Michigan State game because I have that same mentality about me.”

Knecht went on to average 21.7 points on 39.7-percent shooting from the 3-point line, helping him cement himself as a first-round pick on his way to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Darlinstone Dubar, Chaz Lanier

Asking any transfer to step into the role of Dalton Knecht is too much to ask, and Rick Barnes will not be doing that. Instead, he calls for the duo to focus on becoming a star in their role first.

“I’ve told them before, he made us change,” said Barnes. “We did some things later on that we weren’t even practicing this time last year. But once we saw what he could do, we were able to add some things.”

Lanier averaged 19.7 points on 44-percent 3-point shooting last year, while Dubar averaged 17.8 points on 39.9-percent 3-point shooting.

Mid-major production does not immediately translate to the high-major level regardless of how easy Knecht made it look, but as long as the duo can compete on defense they will get a chance.