LeBron James sends clear message to NBA teams after Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht has mega night and hits ‘MJ celebration’
LEBRON James didn’t mince words when he addressed NBA teams that passed up the Los Angeles Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht in the draft.
Knecht, a 2024 first-round pick, had an incredible night as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Utah Jazz 124-118.
In the NBACup victory, shooting guard Knecht assumed the lead and scored a career-high 37 points.
The Tennesee product shrugged after making four consecutive three-pointers during the game, then performed a Michael Jordan celebration.
Knecht went on to make two more three-pointers, bringing his total to six in less than four minutes of play.
With nine three-pointers at the end of the game, he set the rookie record for most three-pointers made in a single game.
Read More on LeBron James
LeBron James addressed reporters following the game and shared an offensive message with the 16 clubs that passed on Knecht, the No. 17 overall choice.
“The Lakers front staff failed to locate Dalton Knecht, the team’s guard. “The other sixteen teams f***ed up,” James grinned.
“Who’s watching him? “S**t!”
“They simply didn’t make a mistake.
“You don’t ‘find’ an SEC player of the year.”
The Lakers won their sixth consecutive game thanks to Knecht’s heroics, improving their overall record to 10-4 and 2-0 in NBACup action.
JJ Redick storms out of LA Lakers press conference after LeBron James’ LA Lakers are humiliated in 131-114 loss
LeBron finished the game with 12 assists and 26 points.
Knecht, 23, played his final year of college for the Volunteers, averaging 21.7 points.
As James said, Knecht won the SEC scoring title, was selected to the First Team All-America honors, and was voted SEC Player of the Year.
With an average of 24.2 points and 5.2 made threes per game over the past four games, he has been outstanding.
Knecht shared his thoughts before delivering the MJ shrug following Tuesday’s game.
“Rui [Hachimura] was talking to me about I need to get a three-point celebration,” Knecht recalled.
“I was unsure about what to do.
Read More on The US Sun
“So, I just gave the shrug.”
The Lakers’ upcoming game against the Orlando Magicon on Thursday night will not be an NBA Cup matchup.
Note: Thank you for visiting our website! We strive to keep you informed with the latest updates based on expected timelines, although please note that we are not affiliated with any official bodies. Our team is committed to ensuring accuracy and transparency in our reporting, verifying all information before publication. We aim to bring you reliable news, and if you have any questions or concerns about our content, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!