Imagine having another 20ppg scorer, in his prime, on a rookie contract.
That's a hugely valuable asset -- either on the roster or in trade.
The AthleticNBA Draft prospects to watch during March Madness
Dalton Knecht, 6-7 senior forward, Tennessee
A late bloomer who transferred in from Northern Colorado and has taken the SEC by storm, Dalton Knecht hung a 40-burger on Kentucky in a losing effort Saturday, and while he wasn’t super-efficient about it (29 shot attempts and four turnovers), he’s wielded his scoring scalpel much more effectively in other SEC contests. Knecht’s stats in conference games are almost Maravichian: 45.7 points per 100, 42.4 percent from 3, 60.3 percent true shooting, 31.7 PER.
Those 3-point shooting numbers are particularly impressive given the volume and difficulty. As Plan A, B and C for every opposing defense, Knecht makes attempts that are often contested looks off the dribble or running catch-and-shoots flying off pin-downs. Squint and you can see Klay Thompson.
Knecht’s shot has more of a line-drive trajectory than you’d prefer, and his 73.4 percent mark from the line indicates that his current 3-point percentage might be at the high end of what we should expect long term. But movement shooters who can connect at anywhere near this rate are hugely valuable in the NBA — the New Orleans Pelicans’ Jordan Hawkins, for instance, was a 2023 lottery pick based almost entirely off this skill, and he doesn’t have anywhere near the physical profile or shot-creation skill of Knecht.
The question now for scouts is basically one of “How high?” in terms of where Knecht’s shooting skill will put him in the NBA next year, but teams will be watching his lateral movement closely to see how well he can hold up as a wing defender. As an older player who will be 23 on draft night, Knecht also will be evaluated through the lens of being four years older than most of the players who will go in the top 20.
Tennessee may get a rematch with Kentucky in the SEC tournament this week, and regardless should be no worse than a No. 2 seed for the NCAA Tournament.
