Dalton Knecht has encountered an uncharacteristic struggle during his nascent summer league tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers. Set against the backdrop of the California Classic, Knecht, a player with high expectations, is feeling the growing pains of transitioning from collegiate sensation to professional hopeful.
In a stark result, the Lakers succumbed to the Golden State Warriors in a 92-68 loss on Sunday, with Knecht contributing 12 points on a challenging 3-of-13 shooting performance over 22 minutes. This effort followed a similarly frustrating outing for Knecht on Saturday, where he finished 3-of-12 from the floor.
Through his initial two summer league games, Knecht has found shooting from distance particularly vexing. He is a mere 2-of-15 on jumpers, equating to a dismal 13.3% accuracy. Despite this, Knecht has shown perseverance, making frequent trips to the free-throw line, where he drew 14 attempts and managed to score 4-of-8 shots at the rim.
Knecht's collegiate credentials established him as an elite scorer. In his final season at Tennessee, he averaged 21.7 points per game and was especially lethal from beyond the arc, hitting 42.3% of his catch-and-shoot three-pointers, as reported by Synergy Sports. These numbers garnered Knecht significant pre-draft attention, even projecting him as a consensus top-10 pick before he slipped out of the lottery on draft night.
Heading into the final California Classic clash against the Miami Heat on Wednesday, Lakers’ summer league coach, Dane Johnson, remains unperturbed by Knecht’s early shooting woes. Johnson expressed confidence in the young forward's abilities and potential for growth. "Just being patient with it. It's a long summer league. It's going to come. He's a great player, so I'm not worried about him missing some of the shots he's taking. He's a great shooter. Let the game come to him. There are some [flashes] where you see that he's got it," Johnson remarked.
Knecht himself acknowledges the lag in his game, attributing it to his hiatus from competitive play since March. "I haven't played since March. Just finding my rhythm again and keep playing with these new guys and keep adjusting. … Shooters shoot. My dad always told me the next shot is going in. Shooters shoot," Knecht reflected.
Adjusting to the rigors and pace of professional basketball while acclimating to new teammates and systems can be formidable challenges. For Knecht, however, the current summer league is more than a proving ground; it's a phase of self-discovery and adaptation, one where resilience and faith in his capabilities are paramount.
As Knecht seeks to rediscover his rhythm, his journey serves as a testament to the unpredictable nature of talent transition from college basketball to the NBA. With one more game left in the California Classic, there remains a palpable sense of potential and expectation surrounding Dalton Knecht’s summer league journey.