LeBron James Gives New Nickname to Los Angeles Lakers Rookie

The Los Angeles Lakers were battling against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night, going back and forth in a prime-time matchup that ended in a 128-122 overtime victory for L.A.

While both teams have some of the biggest stars in the league, like Anthony Davis, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, the spotlight shined bright on a young star during the game.

Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht played a phenomenal game for Los Angeles, tying Davis for a game-high 35 points off the bench.

Following his incredible performance, where Knecht also added one assist and seven rebounds, LeBron James chimed in to share his thoughts.

James took to social media, reposting Knecht's stats on his Instagram story.

Just before James said, "That boy cold!!!" he shared a new nickname for the Lakers rookie.

James called Knecht "Cannon" after the game, likely due to the rookie's ability to shoot the ball.

Knecht was interviewed after the game, where he helped force overtime with a clutch three-pointer and ended the night shooting 8-of-13 from beyond the arc.

When asked why Knecht was able to have so much success against the Suns, he said "I was just hooping."

The 6-foot-5 guard had 25 combined points in the fourth quarter and overtime.

The talented guard was drafted with the No. 17 pick in the first round of the 2024 NBA draft. While Bronny James, the son of LeBron James and the Lakers second-round pick, has received most of the attention, Knecht has proven to be exactly what the Lakers have needed.

In his final season at the collegiate level, Knecht averaged 21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. He finished the season shooting 53.8% from the field and 39.7% from three.

He was a consensus All-American and was named the 2023-24 SEC Player of the Year.

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