How do you pronounce Dalton Knecht? A guide to talking about Tennessee's star during March Madness

Nick Brinkerhoff

How do you pronounce Dalton Knecht? A guide to talking about Tennessee's star during March Madness image

Dalton Knecht's run in March Madness has taken him from a relative unknown to something straight out of the "Cheers" theme song.

Knecht may not be at Norm's level yet, but everyone knows his name. 

They see it on paper and the screen, but can they use it in a sentence? While names can be a challenge, Knecht finds himself in the lower levels of the name game. Let's just say he's a far cry from Mike Krzyzewski or the many other arrangements the alphabet has to offer. 

Regardless, Knecht is trying to etch his name into the history books as the Volunteers march toward cutting down the nets. Whether or not they do, you'll want to make sure you can say his name the right way. Even if it's just to impress your friends. 

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The Sporting News walks you through the pronunciation of the Tennessee Volunteers' star's name. 

How do you pronounce Dalton Knecht's name?

One of the most fascinating things about language is how various letters can take on many different pronunciations. Just think of how many letters serve no purpose in certain words. 

While the 'k' in "knife" or "knead" is pointless, the Volunteers' star makes sure that the letter doesn't suffer the same fate in his last name. 

"Connect."

When it comes to pronunciation, Knecht is a close relative to the popular game, Connect 4. As far as word families go, Knecht and connect are no different than there, their and they're. 

The fifth-year senior burst onto the scene in the SEC this year after arriving as a transfer from Northern Colorado. Named the conference Player of the Year, Knecht found himself with an opportunity to chase his dream of playing in the NBA, with more eyes watching him at Tennessee. 

After averaging 21.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists during his first season in Knoxville, Knecht went from a player that got no love in initial recruiting to finding himself in demand the second time around. 

Soon enough, NBA teams will be vying for Knecht's name to grace the back of their jerseys too.

Nick Brinkerhoff

Nick Brinkerhoff Photo

Nick Brinkerhoff is a content producer at The Sporting News covering the NFL, NBA and other sports. A proud New Jerseyan, Nick is also a graduate of Rutgers University. He is always in the mood for a good joke, the day’s best bets, or a debate about the mediocrity of the New York sports scene.