Instead, he intended to criticize other NBA clubs, specifically the 16 that passed up Dalton Knecht, the 17th overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft.
“They didn’t find DK,” James said of the Lakers, standing by his locker after Knecht’s breakout performance in Los Angeles’ 124-118 victory over Utah on Tuesday. “The other 16 teams f—ed it up. Was anyone watching him? S—.”
On Tuesday night, Knecht scored 37 points on 12-of-16 shooting, including 9-for-12 from beyond the arc against the Jazz. His nine 3-pointers tied the NBA’s single-game rookie record.
Knecht scored 21 consecutive points at the close of the third quarter and the beginning of the fourth, thrilling the audience at Crypto.com Arena and motivating Lakers coach JJ Redick to wax poetic about those rare occasions during his playing career as a sharpshooter.
“It’s just, it’s the flow state,” Redick explained. “You aren’t thinking.” You’re simply perfectly balanced with the curvature of the earth and the earth spinning on its axis at 1,000 miles per hour. You have let go. You let go, and the ball now feels weightless. And it appears like everything will go in.I wish I had delved into that state more.”
Redick identified Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry as the player who most frequently enters that zone, saying that players who can access it inspire their teammates to be conscious of their own location on the court at all times. He claims Knecht shares that quality, with his teammates always watching him.
It’s evident that the youngster has enormous potential, especially if he continues to develop on defense and enhance his physicality. He scored 27 points in the Lakers’ last game against New Orleans on Saturday, going 10-for-17 from the field, including 5-for-10 from three.
James was quick to point out that he recognized the 6-foot-6, 214-pound forward’s potential.
During a media availability last March, James noted Knecht as one of the reasons he watched a game between Tennessee and Purdue during the NCAA Tournament. After the Lakers selected Knecht in the draft, James stated that Knecht was his favorite college basketball player aside from his son, Bronny, whom the Lakers chose with the 55th selection.
“Everybody on the internet calls me a liar all the time,” said James, who finished with 26 points and 12 rebounds. “… So, what am I now? I’ve said it. I observed him. I watched Tennessee a lot. I watched Tennessee a lot. I didn’t imagine he’d fall to us. I assumed it would be impossible. I have no idea how that occurred. But I’m appreciative, and I’m glad he’s here. I understood what we were getting when he dropped to 17.”
Knecht came into Tuesday’s game averaging 9.3 points on 48.4% shooting from the field, including 40.4% from behind the three-point line. And he seems to be getting more and more comfortable. That’s a good sign for the Lakers, who faced criticism for not making any major changes after being defeated in the first round of the playoffs last season.
The 23-year-old plays with confidence, and the more consistent he becomes, the more space he’ll create for superstars James and Anthony Davis, who have long needed outstanding shooters on their team.
Knecht is quickly establishing himself. He’s having fun. During his hot streak on Tuesday, he even replicated Michael Jordan’s shrug from the 1992 NBA Finals.
The Lakers (10-4) have now won six consecutive games, thanks to James’ recent four-game triple-double stretch and MVP-caliber performance from Davis. And, most recently, because a rookie fell further than he should have in the draft.
Even though Knecht admits he was astonished at the time, he now believes things turned out for the better.
“I did what I did in college,” he explained. “Many people claimed I was the best player. So when I fell, it was okay because I landed in an excellent location. I got to play beside LeBron. Who could say that? And then, AD, I went to a wonderful franchise, and I’m extremely fortunate to be here.”
