Famed rapper/entrepreneur Snoop Dogg is considered royalty within the city of Los Angeles. He reps the city at every possible turn, especially when it comes to sports and his beloved Los Angeles Lakers.
Dalton Knecht is a rookie hailing from the state of Colorado via the University of Tennessee. Drafted No. 17 overall by the Lakers in this year’s NBA Draft, hopes were high that he could flourish under new head coach JJ Redick. After last night’s preseason performance versus the Phoenix Suns, you know things went well when Snoop Dogg bestowed the nickname “Westside Knecht” to the sharpshooter on national television Friday morning.
Knecht was simply sensational Thursday night versus the Suns. He scored 35 points on 10-of-18 from the field during the Lakers 128-122 overtime win. While those numbers look hugely impressive on the surface, further context is needed to truly illustrate his brilliance.
Knecht came off the bench and played only 32 minutes. He hit 8 of his 13 attempts from three-point range. For good measure, he accrued two blocks, two steals, and seven rebounds. Perhaps most impressively, Knecht went on a run where he scored 20-straight points from the fourth quarter into the overtime period.
It didn’t matter who was guarding him — whether established NBA vets or up-and-coming youngsters. Knecht’s lightning-quick release was on full display from all parts of the court. When he wasn’t gunning from three, he was taking dudes off the dribble and scoring both in the midrange/the paint.
It was about as impressive a preseason performance as you’ll see from a rookie. Knecht’s whole scoring repertoire was on full display. Redick often has mentioned utilizing Knecht as a floor space with the idea of specifically dialing up plays to get him open. It’s unlikely Knecht will start for the Lakers this year. However, at the very least, he should provide LA with a very credible 6th Man option. Being an older player, the transition from college to the NBA should be a bit smoother than some of his younger peers.
Assuming Austin Reaves plays more as a secondary playmaker behind LeBron James and at times D’Angelo Russell, one could envision a scenario where Knecht is a core member of the closing group next to Reaves, James, and Anthony Davis. There’s also a world in which the offense runs through Knecht when the second unit is on the floor. Many thought the Lakers lucked out into landing him at No. 17 when most thought he’d go in the top 10. Based on the flashes he’s displayed thus far, LA may have drafted a guy who can be a core member of the team for the next decade.