Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports

NBA Draft Rumors: NBA Exec Shares Thrilling Dalton Knecht Projection After Wild March Madness Run

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics | By Rex Villas | Last updated 5/7/24

After a spectacular stint with the Tennessee Volunteers, high-scoring guard Dalton Knecht feels like hes’ ready to take his talents to the NBA. The reigning SEC Player of the Year seems ripe for the pros after turning 23 years old last April and helping the Vols reach the Elite Eight round in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. At least one NBA executive even thinks that he has the profile to become a lottery pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Via Michael Scotto HoopsHype:

“Knecht is a lottery pick,” a longtime NBA executive told HoopsHype. “He put up big numbers this year. I think it helped him by going to Tennessee, where Rick Barnes has tried to instill some defensive abilities. He can shoot and score in a multitude of ways.”

Dalton Knecht is an Intriguing NBA Draft Prospect

The one thing about Dalton Knecht is that he knows how to get buckets. There will be questions about whether he can remain a solid scorer in the NBA, but at the very least, Knecht has good size for his position,

“Knecht is big and can shoot,” an NBA scout told HoopsHype. “I think he’s going to be a guy you can put into an NBA game, and he’ll keep the defense honest. He has a skill that’s coveted (shooting). He’s strong, too.”

In his senior year with the Volunteers, Knecht averaged 21.7 points on 45.8 percent shooting from the field and nearly 40 percent shooting from behind the arc. In one of his most memorable performances in Tennesse uniform, Knecht exploded for 40 points on 14/29 shooting from the field against the Kentucky Wildcats last March. During his final game in college, he had 37 points and six 3-pointers on 12 shots from deep in a 72-66 loss to Zach Edey and the Purdue Boilermakers in the NCAA Tournament.

This article first appeared on Hardwood Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: