It’s NBA Draft day and at long last Tennessee shooting guard Dalton Knecht will figure out where he’s going to begin his college career.
Knecht will almost certainly be the highest drafted Tennessee player of the Rick Barnes era and has a great chance to be the highest drafted Vol of the common draft era (1989).
The 6-foot-6 shooting guard exploded on the draft scene after transferring to Tennessee for his super senior season and exploding as a star in college basketball. In his lone season at Tennessee, Knecht averaged 21.7 points per game on 46% shooting from the field and 40% shooting from three-point range.
Knecht was a scoring sensation and was at his best when the lights were brightest. He scored 40 points once, 35-plus points six times, 30-plus points seven times and 25-plus points 13 times in his incredibly impressive season in Knoxville.
So where could Knecht hear his name called in Wednesday night’s NBA Draft? Here’s a look at the final mock drafts.
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ESPN
- No. 6
- Charlotte Hornets
- What they said: “Knecht’s draft range appears increasingly small, with teams in the range of Nos. 4 to 9 all expressing significant interest, except for Detroit at No. 5.Charlotte has worked out Knecht, and his fit alongside LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller appears to be strong with the perimeter shooting and all-around scoring prowess Knecht offers. If Knecht isn’t picked at No. 6, it might be because a player such as Sheppard or Castle (both of whom Charlotte has worked out) becomes available.Rival teams say they would be surprised to see Knecht fall past both the Portland Trail Blazers and San Antonio at No. 7 and No. 8, where he also seems to be coveted. Buzelis worked out with Charlotte, as well, along with Ja’Kobe Walter and Cody Williams.”
CBS
- No. 6
- Charlotte Hornets
- What they said: “Knecht was the best player in the SEC with Tennessee last season after a winding career that started in the JUCO ranks. He’s a five-year college player who turned 23 earlier this year but has an exciting blend of athleticism and shot-making that should translate from day one.”
The Athletic
- No. 6
- Charlotte Hornets
- What they said: “Charlotte seems to have interest, to varying degrees, in Sheppard, Castle, Knecht and potentially others, league sources tell The Athletic. In Knecht, the Hornets would be selecting a player to help space the court for young stars Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball. Knecht scored at a dizzying pace in college, averaging 25.5 points in 18 SEC games while shooting 48.4 percent from the field and 42.4 percent from 3. His season averages were 21.7 points per game on 46 percent from the field, but those stats were dragged down by a stretch where he played at less than 100 percent following an ankle injury. His offense should translate to NBA settings. Not only is he a terrific shooter, especially off movement, but he’s also a higher-end athlete than most shooters. He can sky in transition and finish inside with hang time.”
Yahoo!
- No. 6
- Charlotte Hornets
- What they said: “The Hornets could be looking to move up to No. 3 to possibly draft Castle before he’s available at No. 4 to the Spurs, but if a trade can’t happen, Knecht is a good backcourt option to add to LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. He’s an older, experienced guard who was the best scorer in the SEC this season and can give solid minutes right away.”
On3
- No. 9
- Memphis Grizzlies
- What they said: “The Memphis Grizzlies have been mentioned by many as a team likely to trade up or down depending on the availability of Donovan Clingan. If a move down the board comes, Kel’el Ware and Zach Edey could also help fill the need at center.”
