Lakers' draft steal gets a LeBron James shoutout after historic game: 'The other 16 teams f—ed it up'

NBA fans and college basketball fans alike were surprised to see Tennessee star Dalton Knecht fall to the bottom half of the first round in June's draft, but the Lakers aren't complaining.

After a fairly quiet start to the season, Knecht is hitting his stride more than most of the draft class. The 23-year-old has posted back-to-back games of at least 27 points, and he exploded for 39 points in a win over the Jazz on Tuesday.

The Lakers may not have won either of their last two games without Knecht's uncanny scoring ability, including one of the best nights from 3-point range ever seen by a rookie. LeBron James certainly appreciates what he's seeing from his (much) younger teammate.

Here's a look at what James said about Knecht and how the rookie made history.

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What did LeBron James say about Dalton Knecht?

James called out the teams that passed on Knecht in the draft after the rookie's 37-point explosion against the Jazz on Tuesday.

"The other 16 teams f—ed it up," James told reporters. "Did anybody watch him? S—-. [The Lakers] just didn't f— it up."

James rejected the idea that Knecht was a "find" by the Lakers in the draft, adding, "You don't 'find' a SEC Player of the Year."

To James' credit, he had his eyes on Knecht early. He told reporters he watched the Elite Eight matchup between Purdue and Tennessee in March because he wanted to see Zach Edey and Knecht play. "Players, depending on who they are, will drive that attention when it comes to viewership," James said.

Less than eight months later, Knecht is on James' team and already helping the Lakers win games. Not only did Knecht score 37 points in a six-point win over the Jazz, but he took control of the game himself late in the third quarter. Knecht scored 21 points in less than four minutes at the end of the quarter, including four consecutive 3-pointers that ignited the crowd at Crypto.com Arena. 

The Lakers spent last season searching for consistency outside of James and Anthony Davis. If the last two games are any indication, a red-hot Knecht is a complete game-changer for a team trying to prove it belongs in the title conversation.

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Dalton Knecht draft pick 

Knecht was the No. 17 overall pick of the NBA Draft in June, slipping out of the lottery despite widespread belief he was in contention to be a top-10 pick.

It can be tough for older prospects to get looks early in the draft, and Knecht had that disadvantage at age 23. Many players who went ahead of him were far less polished and, in some cases, much more unknown, but they had a higher projected ceiling.

Sometimes results mean something, though. Knecht got results at the college level, emerging as one of the nation's most lethal scorers after transferring to Tennessee and averaging 21.7 points per game in his junior season while shooting nearly 40 percent from 3-point range.

Just a month into the season, the Lakers are already starting to see shades of that success at the NBA level.

Dalton Knecht contract

Because Knecht fell all the way to the 17th pick, the Lakers have him at a potential bargain for the next four seasons.

Knecht is in the first year of a four-year, $18.5 million rookie contract. He comes with a salary cap hit of $3.8 million this season, and that figure will bump up to $4.0 million and $4.2 million over the next two seasons before jumping to $6.5 million in 2028-29.

Needless to say, the Lakers have a steal on their hands if Knecht can prove Tuesday's scoring outburst is even remotely sustainable over the next four seasons.

Most 3-pointers by an NBA rookie

Knecht tied the record for most successful 3-pointers in a game by a rookie with nine. He shot a stellar 9-for-12 from beyond the arc against the Jazz.

The record is held by some unexpected names, which tells you drilling nine 3-pointers doesn't automatically make Knecht a star. It does, however, put him in rare company in Lakers history, as he joins James, Kobe Bryant and D'Angelo Russell as the only Lakers to make nine 3-pointers in a game. 

Here are the rookies who have made nine shots from deep in a game.