Dalton Knecht on NBA career goals: 'I want to be the best player in the league'
Dalton Knecht has looked electrifying early on in his NBA Summer League games with the LA Lakers. The former Tennessee star fell all the way to No. 17 in the first round of the NBA Draft, and he hasn’t disappointed the Lakers for believing in him.
He recently stuffed the stat sheet with 20 points and nine rebounds earlier this week. Knecht wasn’t playing on Wednesday evening and decided to field some questions from ESPN’s Jorge Sedano.
Sedano asked Knecht about where he wanted his career to be 10 years down the road. “I want to be the best player in the league, [be an] All-Star….[and] get some championships,” Knecht explained.
During his lone season with the Volunteers, Knecht averaged 21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game while shooting 45.8% from the field and 39.7% from beyond the arc. Knecht’s 21.7 points per game were the most in the SEC.
For his efforts, he was the 2024 SEC Player of the Year, a unanimous All-American (AP, NABC, Sporting News, USBWA), a Julius Erving Award honoree and Naismith Trophy Player of the Year finalist. He now brings that talent to Los Angeles where he’ll look to help push the Lakers back into the forefront of the Western Conference.
What NBA Draft experts are saying about Dalton Knecht
Experts have high hopes for Knecht at the next level. Ahead of the draft, On3’s James Fletcher III broke down Knecht’s play style and NBA potential.
“Dalton Knecht left no doubt that he can score the basketball at any level,” Fletcher III wrote. “Upping his production while moving from Northern Colorado to Tennessee makes him one of the highest floor players on offense.
“The 6-foot-6 wing will now go head-to-head with athletic defenders more often in the NBA, giving him another area to grow. He improved defensively, but still has questions to answer on that end as well.”
Fletcher wasn’t the only one sang Knecht’s praises in the lead up to draft night. “RotoWire” also raved about the Tennessee standout.
“Knecht has excellent size and is comfortable handling the ball, shooting off the catch and pulling up off the dribble from well beyond the 3-point line. Knecht’s confidence and seemingly unlimited range are what make him such a dangerous offensive player.
“He’s not overly quick or athletic, but defenders are forced to respect his ability to pull up at a moment’s notice… Defensively, Knecht will almost certainly be a liability at the NBA level. Improving his quickness and positioning will be key points of emphasis. Even so, he’s a heady player on both ends, so the hope is that his instincts and IQ help offset some of the physical limitations.”
On3’s Barkley Truax and Grant Grubbs also contributed to this article.