Almost a Year Ago, Dalton Knecht Was in a Slump
Almost 11 months ago to the date, Dalton Knecht was in his worst slump of the season. The jump from the Big Sky Conference to the SEC had been going great, the points were pouring in, a faucet that couldn’t be stopped.
And then — trouble.
He went two for seven against Georgia State, one for seven against North Carolina State and two for seven again, this time against Tarleton State. Before he was the SEC’s player of the year, before he was the Lakers’ pick at No. 17 and before he was looking like the shooting answer the Lakers have never quite been able to put around LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Knecht was just a fifth-year senior in one hell of a slump.
A Message from Austin Reaves
“DK, what’s good my man? Just wanted to reach out and say what’s up?” Austin Reaves direct messaged Knecht on Dec. 23. “… Make sure we stay tapped in man. I’ll be watching, and if you ever need anything let me know. I’m around.”
Tuesday night, after Knecht scored 37 points — the most of his young NBA career — the Lakers rookie again mentioned that message from Reaves as being important to him. It’s the kind of thing you think about after a big night when you’re looking more and more comfortable in the NBA.
A Big Night for Knecht
Tuesday’s show was the best yet, with Knecht even doing the same shrugged shoulder celebration after his barrage of threes that Michael Jordan used in Game 1 of the 1992 NBA Finals.
“I’m signed to Jordan brand,” he said. “Had to.”
Lakers guard Dalton Knecht does the Michael Jordan celebration shrug after hitting a three-pointer against the Utah Jazz on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena.
Familiarity for Reaves
It all felt new because, for Knecht as a pro, it was. He’s one of just four rookies ever to make nine threes in a game. He scored 21 points in the third quarter after coming up with huge barrages last week in New Orleans and against Memphis. But for players like Reaves, it all felt familiar.
“If you watched him in college, you know what he’s capable of,” Reaves said after the Lakers’ 124-118 win against Utah. “And when he sees a couple of his first shots go in, he can get in that mode where he’s unconscious. I kinda expect it from him because I’ve watched him a lot.”
A Gift from the Draft
James, who mentioned Knecht in an interview last season after he scored 37 points in a loss to Purdue in the NCAA tournament, said he was shocked the Lakers were able to pick him more than midway through the first round.
This, he said, wasn’t the Lakers unearthing some gem. This, he said using a variety of R-rated language, was a team simply accepting the gift handed to them.
The Lakers’ Search for a Shooter
The Lakers, though, have been looking for a player like Knecht, at least in a role-filling sense. They’ve run through a litany of shooters designed to give Davis and James more space around the basket, to pull defenders out of the paint and toward the three-point line.
The Impact of Knecht’s Shooting
“You can’t leave him,” Davis said. “There’s a lot of sets that we can run and things that we can run … either to get him a shot or make guys think that he’s coming up in the shot. And now that kind of messes up their defensive rotation. But that always helps when you got shooters around. Me and Bron play in the post. Now you get that one on one. It’s hard to double-team.”
Conclusion
Knecht has established himself as a reliable shooter for the Lakers, and his teammates are taking notice. With his ability to draw defenders and create space for Davis and James, he has become a valuable asset to the team. As he continues to grow and develop, it will be exciting to see what the future holds for this young player.
FAQs
Q: What was Dalton Knecht’s performance like before he was drafted?
A: Knecht was in a slump before he was drafted, going 2 for 7 against Georgia State, 1 for 7 against North Carolina State, and 2 for 7 against Tarleton State.
Q: What was the message from Austin Reaves that helped Knecht?
A: Reaves sent Knecht a direct message on Dec. 23, saying “DK, what’s good my man? Just wanted to reach out and say what’s up?” and offering to be there for him if he needed anything.
Q: What is the significance of Knecht’s 37-point game?
A: Knecht’s 37-point game is the most points he has scored in his young NBA career, and it’s a testament to his growth and development as a player.
