Drafting is not an exact science, but for the Los Angeles Lakers, it has been the land of luck and opportunity.

Dalton Knecht fell into the Lakers’ laps when they picked 17th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft. Rather than downplay what Los Angeles did because they were right in choosing the best player available, it was the teams before them that made the mistake of fixating on Knecht’s age (23) instead of the body of work that resulted in a consensus first team All-American selection for him in 2024.

Will Knecht change the minds of league executives into drafting more seasoned players going forward? It depends.

For the Lakers, this was the perfect pick to balance their win-now mindset with a look to the future. Knecht’s offensive skillset is a fit for today’s NBA and his relatively longer college career is a breath of fresh air at a time where progress takes a backseat to speed.

Knecht can attack a defense in a variety of ways and he can be plugged into offensive sets whether that’s as a shooter in the corner, coming off screens, and his off-the-ball movement, which has made him a favorite target of his teammates.

Other players tend to fixate on the ups and the downs themselves without taking stock of what the journey offers. Knecht transferred schools a couple of times and he made strides with each passing year. The NBA is a grown man’s league and it’s important to be ready when your number’s called, all while learning the ropes.

And we may be seeing Knecht finally able to showcase his potential.

Knecht can get hot and did so against the Utah Jazz, tying the rookie record with nine 3-pointers. There was an unreal stretch where he knocked down five consecutive 3-pointers, sending Crypto.com Arena Staples Center into a frenzy.

What’s great about Knecht is that he gets his production off what Los Angeles runs rather than through plays that can disrupt the Lakers’ offense. That has certainly earned him more reps in Los Angeles head coach JJ Reddick’s system and could lead to more in the coming games. The clamor for the 23-year old to start will get stronger, but having him off the bench should help him capitalize on some mismatches and allow for sustained production as Anthony Davis and LeBron James move to the bench.

Dalton Knecht may not become his draft class’ Rookie of the Year, but his peers would be the first to tell you he’s in a rather enviable situation. Given how some of their recent draft picks have panned out, Laker Nation is happy that their front office chose to take a proven product rather than someone off potential.

After all, games are won when they’re played and not on paper.