Dalton Knecht NBA Draft slide, explained: Why Tennessee star fell to Lakers at No. 17
Dalton Knecht NBA Draft slide, explained: Why Tennessee star fell to Lakers at No. 17
Dalton Knecht was supposed to be a high lottery pick coming into Wednesday's NBA Draft. Our draft expert Kyle Irving had him going No. 8 to the Spurs.
Instead, the Tennessee wing fell all the way down to No. 17 to the surprise of many.
How did a player with great athleticism who showed that he can score from every level of the court fall so far? Knecht threw down some monstrous dunks throughout the year and hit 39.7 percent of his 3s. He is the definition of a walking bucket.
Despite dominating at the college level, 14 teams passed on Knecht. Here's why he may have slid.
MORE: Dalton Knecht full NBA scouting report
Dalton Knecht NBA Draft slide, explained
Lack of upside
At the age of 23, Knecht is one of the oldest prospects in this draft class. While other one-and-done players were putting up production immediately, it took Knecht until his fourth year of eligibility before really dominating.
That also brings up the question of how much of Knecht's success was simply due to being more physically developed than his peers. He was a Junior College player for two seasons before transferring to Northern Colorado. In his third year, he still averaged just 8.9 points per game.
Knecht stepped up his game after transferring to Tennessee, averaging 21.7 points per game as a fifth-year senior. That late-bloomer path may have scared some teams away. ESPN's Jonathan Givony mentioned on the draft broadcast that general managers he had spoken with were turned off by that age rather than any injury concerns.
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Defensive concerns
Knecht is going to be able to score in the NBA. Can he defend?
That is the big question mark for him. He's a good athlete that should move better than he does. He's very stiff as a defender, lacking lateral quickness and getting stuck on screens.
It's not all bad for Knecht, though. His 6-6 height gives him some hope that he can improve enough to where he's not a liability.
Can Knecht do more than score?
The NBA is trending towards wings who are skilled in multiple areas. Can Knecht playmake for teammates? That was another question mark for him at Tennessee, where he averaged only 1.8 assists per game.
He's an improved passer who can make basic reads, but he's not at the level where he is going to be running a team's offense like some of the bigger guards in the league.
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Knecht's slide may have ended up working out for the best. The Lakers are a great fit for him. They need his shooting and scoring, and they have the defensive infrastructure in Anthony Davis who can cover for him. His movement shooting should also be fully utilized given how terrific incoming coach JJ Redick was in that role.
Dalton Knecht stats
| Stat | Average |
| Points | 21.7 |
| Rebounds | 4.9 |
| Assists | 1.8 |
| Blocks | 0.6 |
| Steals | 0.7 |
| Field goal % | 45.8 |
| 3-point % | 39.7 |
| Free throw % | 77.2 |
Dalton Knecht measurements
Knecht has good positional size. He's somewhat of a tweener but will likely be an NBA wing.
- Height: 6-5.25 (without shoes)
- Weight: 212.2 pounds
- Wingspan: 6-9