Dalton Knecht Reveals LeBron James's 2-Word Message Before Dominant Finish vs. Suns

Los Angeles Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht had his “Welcome to the Association" moment on Thursday night, and he did so in a memorable and dominant fashion.

Knecht, the No. 17 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, was a force down the stretch for the Lakers in a 128-122 overtime victory over the Phoenix Suns. While the victory came in the second-to-last preseason game for the Lakers, Knecht proved that he's ready to make an impact immediately during his rookie season.

Knecht scored 20 straight points between the fourth quarter and overtime and assisted or scored on the team's final 22 points. The former Tennessee standout also knocked down the game-tying three-pointer with 4.8 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.

When all was said and done, Knecht finished with 35 points on 10-of-18 shooting while knocking down 8-of-13 attempts from beyond the arc.

Following the game, Knecht, who scored 13 of his 35 points in overtime, revealed what LeBron James and Anthony Davis said before his explosive finish.

“Bron and AD said, ‘It’s time,’ so it was just time to take over," Knecht told reporters, per ESPN's Dave McMenamin .

The Lakers rookie did more than take over Thursday night; he took the game into his own hands in crunch time. Knecht made his case for a spot in the team's rotation when the regular season gets underway, and based on head coach JJ Redick's comments, it wouldn't be surprising to see him receive minutes right out of the gate.

Redick revealed that he told Reggie Miller before the game that Knecht is "in the top 1 percent of shooters" and called his performance "supernatural," as McMenamin detailed.

Knecht has scored 13 or more points in four of the Lakers' five preseason games. However, before the two most recent games, the rookie was off to a bit of a cold stretch while struggling to find the bottom of the basket. Knecht's confidence never wavered, though, and he proved that in Thursday night's victory.

The Lakers open the regular season at home on Tuesday, October 22, against the Minnesota Timberwolves. They begin the new season with three consecutive home games before a five-game road trip starting at the month's end.

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