"Already better than Bronny": NBA fans laud Dalton Knecht's 20-point outing vs Heat

LA Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht showed his worth for the team, despite an 82-78 loss versus the Miami Heat in a Summer League game. Knecht had a solid game, contributing 20 points and nine rebounds as he shined in the defeat. He had a great start after scoring 10 points in the first quarter, which ultimately went to naught.

He finished the game shooting 7-for-18 from the field, and 2-of-8 from the three-point area. Knecht made four of his five free throws in the game, albeit turning the ball over three times. With the decent performance, Knecht became the rookie who got most of the spotlight after the game.

Fans on social media even lauded the 23-year-old rookie’s offensive display, despite the Lakers’ 0-3 start in the California Classic NBA Summer League.

“Kid can play 😤,” said one fan.

“Starting to get his footing. 🔥,” said another fan.

Other fans compared his performance to LeBron James’ son Bronny, who recorded three points, five rebounds, three assists, two steals, and three blocks. Bronny played 29 minutes and shot 1-of-3 from the field.

“Already better than bronny,” said one fan.

Some fans even joked about the 17th overall pick Knecht getting attention after the game as they cited Bronny James' exposure in the past weeks, despite him being just the 55th pick in the draft.

“We don’t care. Now show us Bronny’s statline. I know you want to 😏,” said one fan.

“How much help does Bronny need?,” said another fan.

Some fans, however, had a pessimistic view of Dalton Knecht’s game, citing his shooting inefficiency after chucking 18 shots in the game.

“This dude is a shot chucker he better get the efficiency up he ain’t getting 17 shots in the league or LA is going to turn on him very quickly 😂,” said one fan.

Dalton Knecht reveals back story of his name

Dalton Knecht was the Lakers’ only first-round pick in the 2024 NBA draft. Shortly after his introductory press conference, he revealed something personal about his name. Knecht shared how his parents named him after the leading man of the famous movie "Road House," James Dalton, who was played by Patrick Swayze.

"I asked my parents how they came up with my name, and they brought up Road House. It was a super old movie. I don’t know when it was made. I watched it, it wasn't too bad,” Knecht said.

The movie, which was released in 1989, was a cult favorite and follows the story of a bouncer called Dalton in a small town in Missouri. "Road House" rose to prominence once more during the pandemic, making it the most-watched film on cable in 2020.

There was also a remake of the movie in 2024, which starred Jake Gyllenhaal. Dalton Knecht has never been closer to Hollywood now that he will play for LA in the NBA.