LeBron James blasts NBA teams for passing on Dalton Knecht
After Dalton Knecht destroyed the Utah Jazz in Tuesday’s Lakers win, LeBron James went off on the teams that passed on the rookie in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Dalton Knecht had his breakout game on Tuesday against the Utah Jazz. He scored a career-high 37 points with a whopping 21 in the third quarter.
He set a new record for Lakers rookies with nine 3-pointers in the 124-118 win. The rookie isn’t just good. He’s looking like a frontrunner for Rookie of the Year.
After the game, LeBron James took a moment not to congratulate the Lakers on their impeccable drafting ability, selecting Knecht at No. 17, but instead trolled the 14 teams that passed up on him.
LeBron James on the Lakers’ front office finding Dalton Knecht with the No. 17 pick: “They didn’t find DK. The other 16 teams fucked it up. Did anybody watch him? What the fuck? Shit. They just didn’t fuck it up.” pic.twitter.com/9C5658kSWB
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) November 20, 2024
The list of teams that passed on Knecht includes the Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Hornets, Portland Trail Blazers, Memphis Grizzlies, Utah Jazz, Chicago Bulls, Oklahoma City Thunder, Sacramento Kings, Miami Heat Heat, and Philadelphia 76ers. The Spurs and Trail Blazers passed on Knecht twice.
It’s hilarious hearing LeBron say everyone else messed it up. I guess it’s better to be lucky than to be dumb.
With the vibes being so good after another win in the NBA Cup competition, James went on to brag about calling this one a year ago.
He was pretty stoked to point out that this wasn’t a LeCap situation since he was giving Knecht his props back when he was a player for Tennessee and in no way associated with the Lakers.
LeBron on what he saw in Dalton Knecht last season when he praised him while he was at Tennessee: “I don’t know. The same shit I said last year. Everybody on the internet calls me a liar all the time. They say I lie about every-fucking-thing. So what am I now? I’ve been said it.” pic.twitter.com/bPBU1VJGiB
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) November 20, 2024
Often, players claim they are not on the internet or don’t know anything about what is being said about them. However, when they are proven right and the critics are wrong, they suddenly become very aware of the conversations happening.
On this one, though, LeBron can brag all he wants. During the college basketball season, he mentioned Zach Edey and Knecht as two players he liked watching and why he was tuning in to Tennessee vs. Purdue.
LeBron isn’t the only one surprised Knecht fell to No. 17. The Lakers had Knecht as a lottery pick, so his falling to them made it an easy decision to make.
On Draft night, most experts loved the selection of Knecht for the Lakers and that decision looks better game after game.
So, thanks to the the 14 teams that passed on Knecht and let’s not forget the New Orleans Pelicans. They could’ve had the No. 17 pick but opted to defer, allowing the Lakers to take Knecht.
If the Lakers continue to play well, that 2025 pick they’ll give the Pelicans will be a very late first-round selection, concluding all of the moves involved in the Anthony Davis trade from New Orleans to Los Angeles.
I wonder who won that one.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88.