Lakers Fans Praise Dalton Knecht NBA Draft Pick for Getting LeBron James, AD Help

The Los Angeles Lakers used the No. 17 pick of the 2024 NBA Draft to add shooting help for LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

The Lakers used their first-round selection to draft former Tennessee standout Dalton Knecht.

Knecht averaged a career-high 21.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game in 36 starts during his senior season with the Volunteers, a performance that previously earned him praise from James:

He could now play a key role in helping space out the floor for Davis and James next season.

ESPN's Jeremy Woo named Knecht the "best movement shooter" in the draft after he shot 39.7 percent off screens, including 36.8 percent from deep, while leading Tennessee to the Elite Eight.

Lakers fans were happy— and surprised— to see Knecht fall out of the top 15 and into the range of the first Los Angeles pick.

Many mock drafts, including Jonathan Wasserman's final mock for Bleacher Report, predicted that the Vols sharpshooter would go within the top ten.

The pick sets up head coach JJ Redick to spend his first year as a NBA head coach helping shape Knecht's development.

Some fans see the scoring-focused 23-year-old as a similar player to Redick himself.

The Lakers select next with the No. 55 pick of the second round.

With James set to decide on his 2024-25 player option by Saturday, the Lakers will hope their first-round selection of one of the best shooters in the draft will help convince the superstar to stay in Los Angeles for at least one more season.