2024 NBA Draft Prospect: Dalton Knecht

Dalton Knecht will bring shooting inside and outside the arc to the NBA team that drafts him, whether on, or off the ball to find his shot.

2024 NBA Draft prospect: Dalton Knecht (Tennessee)

Height, Weight, and Age when NBA season begins: 6’6”, 204 pounds, 23 years old

Mock average: 9th (Between 3rd and 13th on mocks)

NBA player ranking for access to combine information: 7th - 10th (for teams drafting 1st to 25th)

What will Knecht bring to an NBA team and where will he need to improve going forward?

Shooting - Before even getting to his shooting, Knecht is really good at finding ways to get open off the ball to receive a shot with space to launch a shot, whether inside or outside the arc. Knecht knows how to navigate flare screens to get good looks on his jumpers. He’s also able to run around 2 to 3 off-ball screen actions and if a route isn’t there, he’s able to change his direction on the fly - similar to what JJ Redick used to be able to do in his playing days. Knecht has a high release at the top of his jump shot, meaning he’s able to comfortably shoot over players who are around his height or smaller. When Knecht cuts off ball, it’s not just to seek jump shots. There’s times he’ll cut toward the rim and if the space is open on the catch, he’ll throw down a 2-handed dunk. Some of Knecht’s jump shot types include the hop shot from NBA range, or the pull-up jumper, whether off his right or left hand on the dribble. Knecht can get hot and put a run together. When he’s got his outside shot going, he’ll launch some threes from near the mid-court logo. With the ball in his hands, if a teammate sets a pick up top and the defenders go under, Knecht can quickly shoot the pull-up three if he sees he has room. Whether set or coming off a screen, Knecht has a quick trigger on his jump shot to get a look up.

Versatility - Knecht is the height of a shooting guard at 6’6”, but he plays more like a small forward and in some sets for Tennessee, he could play the 4 as well. Knecht is able to bring the ball up the floor if he needs to, and pass to the point guard to allow the offense to be set up.

Driving - Knecht doesn’t have the speed burst to get past his defender from a stationary position, but in some instances, such as out of the triple threat or being crafty with a hesitation move, he can try to get by his defender to try to finish layups, not shying away from contact. If Knecht sees there’s an open rim on a drive, he’ll even try to go with the 1-handed dunk, instead of the layup on some possessions. With Knecht being the go-to player at Tennessee, there were instances where if he would get trapped inside the paint and he stopped his dribble, he could have difficulty kicking out, if he was faced with multiple defenders corralling him, resulting in turnovers.

Getting to the line - As mentioned above, Knecht doesn’t shy away from contact. If he’s not able to get good looks on his jumpers, he’ll try to get to the free throw line by attacking in the open court and seeking contact, or going up aggressively on layup attempts.

Defense - Knecht mainly defended players who stood in the corner, who weren’t in the primary action of sets. When he did have to guard a player with more activity, he had difficulty getting around screens to stay with that player. To prevent his opponent from getting away from him when guarding a player off-ball, Knecht would usually switch quickly onto a big in the post. There were some plays where Knecht would sniff out bad passes by jumping in the middle of passing lanes to get a steal.

Playmaking - While Knecht primarily puts up shots if he has space or drives inside, he’s shown some of his passing skills at times. This includes running a P&R, then making the jump pass when the defense tries to trap him up top at the 3-point line. If he’s drawing double teams, he’s shown the ability to kick back out to a shooter, as long as he hasn’t stopped his dribble and he’s on the move with the ball.

What do other draft experts say about Knecht?

• Kevin O’Connor of the Ringer: Movement shooter, pull-up threat, clutch game, off-ball defense

• Jonathan Givony of ESPN: Dynamic perimeter game

• Krysten Peek of Yahoo! Sports: Three-level scorer, improved on the perimeter defensively and on the boards

• NBA Draft Room: Big time shooter, pro ready game, fierce competitor, clutch-shot maker

What are Knecht’s NBA comps?

• My comps: Flashes of JJ Redick navigating off-ball screens

• Kevin O’Connor of the Ringer: Shades of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Max Strus

• NBADraftRoom.com: Klay Thompson, Brent Barry plus

• In a draft combine interview, Knecht said his favorite player growing up was Kevin Durant and he tries to a play a similar style like Durant and Devin Booker.

• Knecht’s physical comp is Klay Thompson in 2011.

Read about other Draft Prospects: Alexandre Sarr | Zaccharie Risacher | Nikola Topic | Ron Holland | Rob Dillingham | Stephon Castle

How would Knecht fit on the San Antonio Spurs?