Los Angeles Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht is shortly gaining consideration for his on-court mentality. Earlier than the Lakers’ recreation towards the Memphis Grizzlies, Knecht spoke to the media about his strategy to the sport, describing an angle that stems from years of neglect.
“I am enjoying with a chip on my shoulder, whether or not I fell within the draft or not,” Knecht mentioned in a video shared by ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “I’ve been underestimated my complete life, from center college to highschool. So it is like that. I really feel like I have been underestimated my complete life, so I all the time have a chip on my shoulder.
The 23-year-old swingman, drafted seventeenth general within the 2024 NBA draft, has already proven flashes of his potential in Lakers preseason video games and early-season performances. Its plus a notable efficiency got here within the Lakers’ preseason victorythe place he scored a exceptional 35 factors, together with the group’s last 20 factors and 13 in extra time. Knecht adopted with an 18-point effort towards the Cleveland Cavaliers, persevering with to show the scoring means that piqued the curiosity of the Lakers.
Dalton Knecht rating might carry depth to Laker
Knecht averages 7.3 factors per recreation on 47.4% taking pictures from the sphere and 37.5% from past the arc. His regular taking pictures and aggressive type of play have earned him minutes within the Lakers’ rotation, a development that would proceed given the group’s present harm points. Earlier than Rui Hachimura is listed as questionable for Wednesday evening’s recreation towards Memphis on account of sickness, whereas the star large man Anthony Davis is questionable after struggling a bruised left heel through the Lakers’ current loss to the Detroit Pistons.
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The Lakers conclude their five-game highway journey in Memphis, and Knecht’s willingness to step up may very well be essential, particularly if Davis or Hachimura cannot play. Identified for his means to ship underneath strain, the rookie has the chance to make a fair greater impression on Lakers followers and his teammates.
Together with his willpower to show doubters fallacious, Knecht embodies the relentless mindset that Lakers followers admire and his continued growth might be one to observe as Los Angeles strikes by way of the season. His mentality and skill to attain might nicely turn into important for a Lakers group searching for depth and consistency in its squad.
