Dalton Knecht's quest to find his footing in professional basketball encountered a bumpy path at the California Classic, as he struggled to showcase the sharpshooting prowess that characterized his collegiate career.
The Los Angeles Lakers, playing against the Golden State Warriors, suffered a lopsided 92-68 defeat on Sunday. While the team faced its collective challenges, Knecht’s individual performance drew particular notice. The young guard managed to score 12 points but did so on an inefficient 3-of-13 shooting in his 22 minutes on the court.
These numbers are part of a broader trend, as Knecht also had a tough outing the previous day. Going 3-of-12 from the floor on Saturday, his shooting struggles have been a prominent story. Through his first two summer league games, Knecht is a mere 2-of-15 on jumpers, translating to a 13.3% accuracy rate—an alarming statistic for someone celebrated as a quality shooter coming out of college.
Knecht has, however, shown an aggressive stance in getting to the free-throw line, earning 14 attempts in two games. Additionally, he converted 4-of-8 shots at the rim, demonstrating that while his jump shooting falters, he's still finding ways to contribute offensively.
“Just being patient with it. It's a long summer league,” assured Lakers’ summer league coach, Dane Johnson. “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.”
Knecht, reflecting on his performance, echoed a sentiment of patience and resilience. “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,” he said.
Taking a step back, Knecht’s shooting troubles come as a surprise given his past. In his final season at Tennessee, he averaged an impressive 21.7 points per game, hitting 42.3% of his catch-and-shoot 3-pointers according to Synergy Sports. These numbers placed him as a consensus top-10 pick leading up to the draft, though he eventually slid out of the lottery on draft night.
The Lakers will now look towards their final game in the California Classic, set to face the Miami Heat on Wednesday. For Knecht, this matchup offers another opportunity to bounce back and demonstrate why he was considered one of the top shooting prospects in college basketball.
As the summer league progresses, Knecht’s journey will be closely monitored. Can the young guard rediscover his rhythm and prove his mettle on the professional stage, or will the shooting woes continue to haunt him? Only time will tell, but with the encouragement of his coaches and his resilient mindset, optimism remains alive in Lakers’ camp.