In an offseason that has otherwise emphasized the importance of continuity, the Los Angeles Lakers have been given a chance to develop a new franchise cornerstone. It's an opportunity that fell into their lap, as reigning SEC Player of the Year Dalton Knecht unexpectedly slipped to No. 17 overall at the 2024 NBA Draft.
With Knecht in the fold, it's become easier for the Lakers to defend prioritizing a more patient approach to roster construction.
One of the biggest fans of Knecht is the individual tasked with overseeing his development into an NBA-caliber player: JJ Redick. Thankfully, in Redick's eyes, there's already something special to work with.
In an in-depth interview with Zach Lowe on The Lowe Post, Redick offered generational praise for Knecht as a shooter of the highest order.
"Dalton, to me, I told him this the other day, he's in the one percent. He's in the one percent. He has a skill that's just hard to find. He's gonna have a chance to earn a spot in the rotation."
That's not just praise from a head coach, but a qualified statement from one of the most prolific shooters in basketball history.
JJ Redick says Dalton Knecht is in top one percent of shooters
Redick ranks No. 18 in NBA history in career three-point field goal percentage and No. 20 in three-point field goals made. Between 2014-15 and 2019-20, Redick averaged 2.8 three-point field goals made on 43.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc, including an absurd mark of 47.5 percent in 2015-16.
Before he made the jump to the Association, he utilized his jump shot to become the face of college basketball and the 2005-06 Naismith College Player of the Year.
With this in mind, Redick heralding Knecht as being in the top one percent of shooters is a compelling development to monitor. Few know as much about the fundamentals of shooting as Redick, and he clearly sees something special in his incoming rookie.
There's ample evidence to support Knecht living up to the hype, especially after a 2023-24 season that earned him SEC Player of the Year honors.
Knecht ranked in the top 10 among NCAA Division I players at 21.7 points per game in 2023-24. He knocked down 2.6 three-point field goals per game while shooting at a clip of 39.7 percent from beyond the arc.
While many sharpshooters operate in an off-ball role, Knecht was consistently tasked with creating his own offense against set defenses.
In Los Angeles, Knecht will have a chance to play off of All-NBA players such as Anthony Davis and LeBron James, and high-level shot creators in Austin Reaves and D'Angelo Russell. That should simplify the process of scoring and shine a light on what Redick has praised as an elite jump shot.
If Knecht manages to excel as a three-point shooter, there's a strong chance that he'll spend his entire rookie season in Redick's rotation.