Dalton Knecht‘s journey to the NBA isn’t the traditional one. Beginning his collegiate career at Northeastern Junior College in 2019, the Colorado native has transferred twice since then. Steadily elevating his game and the competition he faced, Knecht left the Plainsmen to join Northern Colorado in 2021. After two seasons with the Bears, he landed with the Tennessee Volunteers. Though Northern Colorado is a Division I program, it was Knecht’s first chance to play in a major conference.
Suffice it to say, he didn’t disappoint.
5 Lottery Teams Interested In Dalton Knecht
Ahead of the 2024 NBA Draft, Knecht is “drawing strong interest from” the Charlotte Hornets, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, Memphis Grizzlies and Utah Jazz “in the Nos. 6-10 range,” per ESPN’s Jeremy Woo. Woo adds that the 23-year-old “comes with some perception of untapped upside as a late-blooming prospect.” A late riser on draft boards, Knecht exploded for 21.7 points per game in 2023-24, the highest average in the SEC. As he averaged 20.2 points per game the prior season, it didn’t exactly come out of nowhere. Nonetheless, performances like that are sure to turn heads, and all the bouncy swingman needed was more eyes on him.
Dalton Knecht’s Best Lottery Fit
How far Knecht is away from his ceiling remains to be seen. At his age, prospects are considered to be all but finished products. Of course, there are certain players who have managed to develop well into their 20s or 30s. Nonetheless, the average player typically reaches their peak in their mid to late 20s. For Knecht, this means his first few seasons in the NBA could be pretty telling. Still, as he has a pretty high floor, he’s one of the safer picks in the draft. Among current players, his closest comparison may be Grizzlies wing Desmond Bane, who spent four seasons tearing it up at TCU before getting drafted. Improving every season, Bane averaged career-highs of 23.7 points and 5.5 assists per game in 2023-24.
Long, skilled, athletic, Knecht is a slashing wing with no issue connecting from deep. Among the teams mentioned by Woo, his best fit is with the Hornets.
In Charlotte, Knecht could start alongside LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller on the perimeter, complementing the two playmakers as a play-finisher. To that point, simplifying the game for Knecht should allow him to remain efficient. He shouldn’t have to collapse defenses to find the open man or find the soft spot in the zone. If he can focus on converting around the rim and from beyond the arc, he’ll be a reliable tertiary scorer early on. At the other end, the combined length of Knecht, Ball, and Miller benefits the Hornets’ desire to be a two-way team. It’s hard to work the ball around or get up clean shots when the opposing team has a battalion of long defenders.
