Lakers HC JJ Redick Explains First Impressions of Rookie Dalton Knecht

JJ Redick's first impression of rookie guard Dalton Knecht.

Jul 15, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Dalton Knecht (4) dunks the ball against Boston Celtics during the first half at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images / Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

In his first season as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, JJ Redick has already made a significant impression on fans and players alike. As a former NBA sharpshooter-turned-coach, Redick brings a wealth of basketball knowledge, and his attention to detail is already visible in how he's molding the team.

One player who has particularly caught Redick's eye is rookie Dalton Knecht.

Dalton Knecht and Austin Reaves getting some shots up after practice. JJ Redick said Dalton didn’t shoot it well during practice today but was really impressed with his overall competitiveness. pic.twitter.com/v4tkOcicEi

— Daniel Starkand (@DStarkand) October 2, 2024

The Lakers selected Knecht with the 17th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft after he surprisingly fell out of the lottery. The 2023-24 Southeastern Conference Player of the Year lit up college basketball last season as his marksmen-like shooting and competitive nature helped lift the Tennessee Volunteers to the Elite Eight of this past NCAA March Madness tournament.

At 23 years old, Knecht was one of the older players in the draft. However, his years of experience should help him transition to the NBA game a bit easier than most rookies at this stage. Coach Reddick has been impressed with Knecht so far during the Lakers' training camp and preseason.

“He’s got a heater. That’s what he’s shown me, first of all” Redick said, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

In a previous interview on ESPN's The Lowe Post podcast, Reddick shared with reporters the impressive skillset that Knecht has and how it will potentially help him crack the Lakers rotation this NBA season.

"Dalton, to me, I told him this the other day, he's in the one percent," Redick said. "He has a skill that's just hard to find. He's gonna have a chance to earn a spot in the rotation."

In his second practice as a member of the Purple and Gold, Knecht talked about how he remains confident despite not having a great shooting day at training camp.

“I don’t really care if I make my shots or not. I feel like I put a lot of hard work in," Knecht said, per Mark Medina of Sportskeeda. "So I’m going to believe in my shot at all times. One thing that I can always do, regardless of how I shoot, is control my effort, defense and rebounding. I’m just communicating to my teammates and being there to space out the floor. It’s just that and learning and guarding my position and being ready and locked in on the defensive side.”

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