The Los Angeles Lakers drafted Dalton Knecht as the 17th pick in the first round of selections. After the official announcement, one of the greatest Lakers of all time, Magic Johnson gave his nod of approval to the new signee. The Lakers legend took to his social media to share his excitement about the 23-year-old joining his franchise. He listed his reasons for believing Knecht would be a good fit for the team while also giving him props for his previous achievements.
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Magic stated that the Lakers management has done a splendid job by bringing the Tennessee youngster into the organization. He believed that the LA franchise was in desperate need of a great three-point shooter who could ease the burden of their offensive unit.
The five-time NBA champion also added that Knecht is a tough player with a swag. These are the qualities that a franchise like the Lakers always looks for in their future stars. Magic wrote,
“Laker Nation, outstanding pick last night by our Lakers selecting Dalton Knecht – I love it! Dalton is just what the Lakers need, a deadly 3-point shooter/scorer who is physically tough and has swag.”
The 64-year-old said that Knecht has experience playing for a successful program with a great coach in Rick Barnes. He is also hopeful about the 23-year-old soon becoming a starter for the team.
Laker Nation, outstanding pick last night by our Lakers selecting Dalton Knecht – I love it! Dalton is just what the Lakers need, a deadly 3-point shooter/scorer who is physically tough and has swag. He also played for a winning program and really good college coach at Tennessee,…
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) June 27, 2024
But, before he gets to it, Magic is positive about Knecht becoming a dependable player who will enjoy playing minutes, off the bench. He wrote, “Dalton is a guy that has a chance to start or play a lot off the bench.”
Magic seems to have high hopes for the youngster. And if we consider his recent performance, he will likely be able to live up to the expectations.
Dalton Knecht is entering the league on a high note
Prior to the draft night, several mock drafts projected that Knecht would be a top-10 pick. However, with the progression of the first round, the Lakers realized that they might have a chance to pick the Tennessee Volunteers star. During his time in Tennessee, Knecht played in 36 games, where he averaged 21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists.
The three-point shooting prowess that Magic talked about also checks out because the 23-year-old shot 39.7% from beyond the arc while averaging 6.5 attempts per game. For a brilliant season, he was honored with SEC Newcomer of the Year and the SEC Player of the Year. He is also the Julius Erving Award recipient for 2024 and a Consensus first-team All-American.
Getting an opportunity to be a part of a high-market franchise like Purple and Gold is surely a blessing in disguise for the youngster. Fans would be looking forward to watching him take over the court and fill in the much-needed guard position on the roster.
