Potential Thunder draft prospect Dalton Knecht helps Tennessee escape thriller against Texas

24/03/2024 16:00

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets' top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz's top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to go to OKC than the latter.

As the NCAA Tournament progresses, the top prospects are in the spotlight as they draw national eyes for their postseason performances.

Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.

One possibility is Tennessee guard Dalton Knecht. He finished with 18 points on 5-of-18 shooting, 1-of-8 from 3 and nine rebounds in No. 2 Tennessee’s close 62-58 win over No. 7 Texas in the Round of 32 on Saturday. He also shot 7-of-8 from the free-throw line.

The third-year player has enjoyed a career season at Tennessee after spending the last two years with small-school Northern Colorado. The 22-year-old is one of the older lottery prospects, but the negative connotation surrounding age has slowly faded.

Knecht's best skill is outside shooting; he has been a high-volume 3-point shooter. He’s averaged 21.1 points on 47% shooting, 4.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists. He's shot 39.7% from 3 on 6.2 attempts.

The Thunder could have a shot to draft Knecht in the lottery range. Considering they have their core set out, it’s now about filling out the margins for OKC’s roster. He can help with that with his outside shooting, which is always in high demand in the league.