Magic Johnson calls Dalton Knecht an 'outstanding pick' by the Lakers

On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Lakers selected Dalton Knecht with the No. 17 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. On Thursday, Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson gave Knecht his stamp of approval.

“Laker Nation, outstanding pick last night by our Lakers selecting Dalton Knecht – I love it!” Johnson wrote on X. “Dalton is just what the Lakers need, a deadly 3-point shooter/scorer who is physically tough and has swag. He also played for a winning program and really good college coach at Tennessee, Rick Barnes! Dalton is a guy that has a chance to start or play a lot off the bench.”

Knecht couldn’t ask for a better vote of confidence. Then again, it’s easy to understand Johnson’s faith in the pick.

In 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.

Knecht didn’t slow down under the spotlight, either. In Tennessee’s season-ending loss against Purdue in the Elite Eight, Knecht broke the program record for points in an NCAA Tournament game with 37, the sixth-most ever by an SEC player.

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.

Before transferring to Tennessee, Knecht spent two seasons at Northern Colorado, where he won the 2022-23 Big Sky scoring title by averaging a league-best 20.2 points per game. Prior to his stint at Northern Colorado, Knecht spent two seasons at Northeastern Junior College.

What NBA Draft experts are saying about Dalton Knecht

Johnson isn’t the only one who believes Knecht could make an immediate impact at the next level. Ahead of the draft, RotoWire weighed in on Knecht’s NBA potential.

“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,” RotoWire wrote. “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.”