- LeBron was asked about the Lakers rookie after Knecht put on a shooting clinic against the Jazz
- Knecht tied the NBA rookie record for most three pointers in a game, against Utah
- The 23-year-old small forward dropped the Michael Jordan shrug after sinking four straight threes
Dalton Knecht had himself a night. And LeBron James was not surprised in the least. The only thing the four-time NBA Champion was surprised by was how 16 other teams failed to pick up Knecht in this year’s draft.
Knecht dropped a career-high 37 points during the Lakers 124-118 NBA Cup group-play game victory over the Utah Jazz, dropping nine three-pointers in the process, tying the NBA rookie record for most threes in a game.
The highlight of Knecht’s night was his wild third quarter, in which he sunk six straight threes, throwing in the iconic Michael Jordan shrug after number four found the net.
It was a clinic that not only continued the 23-year-old’s impressive debut season in the NBA, but also left more than a few people wondering how Knecht was left undrafted until the Lakers swooped in at 17 to sign up the Tennessee Volunteers prospect.
One person in particular could not believe the Lakers luck in securing Knecht’s signature. LeBron James.
James had already given Knecht rave reviews during his time in Tennessee, but when asked after last night’s victory over the Jazz about the Lakers drafting the North Dakota native, LeBron had a suitably perfect response.
“They didn’t find DK. The other 16 teams f**ked it up. Did anybody watch him? S**t. They just didn’t f**k it up.”
LeBron James on the Lakers front office drafting Dalton Knecht: “They didn’t find DK … the other 16 teams f—-ed it up” pic.twitter.com/agmO547mnW
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) November 20, 2024
In a seperate interview after the Lakers NBA Cup victory, which takes the reigning champions 2-0 for this season’s tournament, LeBron doubled down on his longstanding admiration of Knecht when asked about what he saw in the rookie at Tennessee last season.
“I don’t know. The same s**t I said last year. Everybody on the internet calls me a liar all the time. They say I lie about every-f**king-thing. So what am I now? I watched Tennessee a lot. I did not think he was gonna fall to us. I thought it would be impossible. I have no idea how that happened. But very grateful and very happy that he’s here. I knew exactly what we was getting when he fell to 17.”
LeBron on what he saw in Dalton Knecht last season when he praised him while he was at Tennessee: “I don’t know. The same shit I said last year. Everybody on the internet calls me a liar all the time. They say I lie about every-fucking-thing. So what am I now? I’ve been said it.” pic.twitter.com/bPBU1VJGiB
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) November 20, 2024
Up next for the Lakers in the NBA Cup is a visit to Phoenix to take on the Suns next Wednesday (November 27) before hosting the Thunder three days later. Head coach JJ Redick will be hoping for more of the same from his potential rookie of the year pick.
