What did LeBron James say about Dalton Knecht? How NBA legend praised Lakers draft pick during March Madness

Jacob Camenker

What did LeBron James say about Dalton Knecht? How NBA legend praised Lakers draft pick during March Madness  image

The Lakers were able to land one of the best-regarded players in the 2024 NBA Draft with the 17th overall selection.

It wasn't Bronny James, it was Tennessee star Dalton Knecht.

Knecht burst onto the scene as a senior transfer for the Volunteers. He averaged 21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game during his lone SEC season while shooting 45.8 percent from the field and 39.7 percent from 3-point range.

Not bad for a guy who spent his first four seasons playing in junior college and then at Northern Colorado.

Now, the 23-year-old Knecht will look to bring his scoring punch and sharp shooting to the Lakers. As he does, it appears he has earned the respect of a very important member of the franchise, LeBron James.

Here's what to know about James' opinion of Knecht as the two prepare for a possible team-up in Los Angeles.

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What LeBron James said about Dalton Knecht

James mentioned Knecht in passing during a media availability in March. James was speaking about the NCAA Tournament and acknowledged he tuned into the Purdue vs. Tennessee contest, in part, because of the All-American guard.

"We watched that Purdue-Tennessee game because of Zach Edey and Knecht," James said. "Players, depending on who they are, will drive that attention when it comes to viewership."

That may not be the most in-depth endorsement we've heard from James, but that he was excited by Knecht's performance at Tennessee demonstrates the veteran is a fan of the 23-year-old's game.

Will Knecht quickly transition into a prominent role with the Lakers' bench because of that confidence? Only time will tell.

Either way, it appears the Lakers got a good value, landing the No. 4 overall player on Sporting News' big board with the 17th overall pick.

Whether James and Knecht will play together remains to be seen. James is expected to opt out of his contract and become a free-agent, though the Lakers appear likely to bring back the NBA legend, especially after hiring JJ Redick. 

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Dalton Knecht stats

Knecht starred during his lone season playing in a Power 5 conference. He ranked eighth in the country in points per game and was efficient, hitting just under 40 percent of his shots from deep.

Below is a full look at his stats from his Div. I career at Tennessee and Northern Colorado.

SeasonTeamGamesMinutesPointsReboundsAssistsStealsBlocks
2021-22Northern Colorado3524.18.93.60.80.50.5
2022-23Northern Colorado3235.320.27.21.80.80.6
2023-24Tennessee3630.621.74.91.80.70.6
Total10329.816.95.21.50.70.6

Knecht's improvement — and ability to adjust quickly to the Div. I level — should inspire hope he can do the same at the NBA level. He may not be a 20-point-per-game scorer, but if he can provide the Lakers with a spark off the bench, he could find a role for himself early in his rookie season.

Jacob Camenker

Jacob Camenker Photo

Jacob Camenker first joined The Sporting News as a fantasy football intern in 2018 after his graduation from UMass. He became a full-time employee with TSN in 2021 and now serves as a senior content producer with a particular focus on the NFL. Jacob worked at NBC Sports Boston as a content producer from 2019 to 2021. He is an avid fan of the NFL Draft and ranked 10th in FantasyPros’ Mock Draft Accuracy metric in both 2021 and 2022.