Tennessee star Dalton Knecht posted his farewell to Tennessee basketball and Vol nation on both Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) on Friday afternoon.
“Thank you Rocky Top,” Knecht wrote on Instagram. “You will always be home.”
Knecht’s post included pictures of him in Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center, with Rick Barnes, from the NCAA Tournament, at Market Square Madness, from the Vols’ win in Rupp Arena and from his legendary 37 point performance at North Carolina.
The pictures he posted on X weren’t the same but also included him talking with Barnes and interacting with Tennessee fans.
Knecht played just one season in Knoxville after transferring from Northern Colorado to Tennessee in his super senior season. He left his mark with one of the best seasons in Tennessee basketball history.
The 6-foot-6 guard averaged 21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. He was even better in SEC play where he averaged 25.5 points per game on 48% shooting from the field and 42% shooting from three-point range.
More From RTI: Dalton Knecht’s Top 10 Moments In Lone Season At Tennessee
Knecht was an extremely explosive scorer capable of taking over a game at any moment. He scored 40 points once, 35-plus points six times, 30-plus points seven times and 25-plus points 13 times in his lone season at Tennessee.
With Knecht leading the way, Tennessee turned in one of the best seasons in the program’s history. The Vols won the SEC Regular Season Championship outright for the first time since 2008 and made it to the Elite Eight for the second time in program history.
In four NCAA Tournament games, Knecht scored 104 points (26 PPG) on 35-of-85 (41%) shooting from the field and 14-of-35 (40%) shooting from three-point range. He also grabbed 26 rebounds (6.5 RPG) over the course of the tournament.
Knecht earned an abundance of honors for his dominant season. He was the SEC Player of the Year, the Julius Irving Award winner, a consensus First Team All-American and a finalist for both the Naismith National Player of the Year and Wooden Award.
Knecht played just one season at Tennessee but it won’t soon be forgotten. Neither be Knecht or the Tennessee fans that he captivated all winter.
One Response
Thanks very Dalton Kennect
You rule
Wish V-O-L-S had you 4 years
Do u have twin brother not a joke
Devoted Vol fan