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Report: Tennessee star Dalton Knecht receives NBA green room invite

FaceProfileby:Thomas Goldkamp•06/11/24
Dalton Knecht, Tennessee Basketball | Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
(Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports) Feb 28, 2024; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers guard Dalton Knecht (3) reacts after dunking the ball against the Auburn Tigers during the second half at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center.

Tennessee star Dalton Knecht has received a green room invite to the 2024 NBA Draft, ESPN reported via a source.

Knecht is widely expected to be one of the top picks in the upcoming draft after a remarkable season with the Volunteers following a transfer. Knecht came to Tennessee by way of Northern Colorado.

He wasted little time emerging as one of the best players in the country.

After averaging 21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game, Knecht was named the 2024 SEC Player of the Year and a first-team All-SEC selection. He was also a unanimous first-team All-American, earning that honor from the AP, NABC, Sporting News and USBWA.

He was a finalist on just about every other major award out there, courtesy of the massive impact he had for the Volunteers.

Dalton Knecht helped lead Tennessee to an Elite Eight appearance, where the team was eventually topped by No. 1 seed Purdue. Still, he’ll be remembered for a long time on Rocky Top.

As for his NBA prospects, they remain incredibly high. Most expect Knecht to go in the first half of the first round as one of the elite scorers available.

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HoopsHype spoke to a number of NBA executives, who had rave reviews for Dalton Knecht, including the following:

“Knecht is one of my favorite players in this draft. I like him a lot with how hard he plays on offense. He has the ability at 6-foot-6 to use ball screens, can shoot, and score. I worry a little bit about his defense, but I’d rather have someone who can really go and fit in offensively in the flow of things than have someone who can’t do anything offensively.

“Nowadays in the NBA, you’ve got to be able to put the ball in the hoop and create space. He’s way more vertically athletic than people give him credit for. I think the defense is going to be the biggest thing for him. I like his attitude and approach to things. They love him as a person in Tennessee. I think he’s going to be a solid NBA player.”

The 2024 NBA Draft is set to take place on June 26 and June 27, starting at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. The first round will be broadcast on ABC and ESPN.

Dalton Knecht will likely be there in the green room, having received his invite.