Why does Dalton Knecht wear number 4? Reason behind Lakers rookie's jersey explored

LA Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht flew under the radar in the draft, overshadowed by fellow rookie Bronny James, who stole the spotlight. However, Knecht drew attention when he revealed he'd wear the No. 4 jersey.

NBA players select jersey numbers for a reason, and the same case can be made for Knecht. In college, he wore No. 3 for the Tennessee Volunteers. However, given that Anthony Davis rocks the No. 3, Knecht had to choose a different one.

After he was drafted, he chose No. 4 as his jersey number.

"Original number's three, Anthony Davis got it," Knecht said. "Figured I have to get a new number, why not be Knecht 4? I didn't know if I'd like it at first, but it's growing on me for sure. Nice little ring to it, so why not?"

Lakers fans got what they wanted. A few fans on Reddit wanted Knecht to wear No. 4, as it sounded good and is also a nice reference to the classic "Connect Four" game by Hasbro. Reddit user u/Vordeo shared a post on the NBA's subreddit page, talking about why No. 4 would work.

"In the tradition of good nicknames that involve jersey numbers (AK-47, PG-13, and Knecht's new teammate AR-15), 'Knecht 4' would work very well, and would entertain me," the Reddit user said.

Dalton Knecht Needs to Get Jersey Number 4 byu/Vordeo innba

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Dalton Knecht gets a new nickname from longtime Lakers fan

The Lakers played against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday in their fifth preseason game. Los Angeles defeated the host team 128-122, thanks to the impressive performance from Dalton Knecht. The rookie forward finished with 35 points, seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks.

Knecht impressed fans with his outside stroke, shooting 8 of 13 from beyond the arc. Following their win, longtime Lakers fan and rapper Snoop Dogg gave him a new nickname.

"You're calling him by his wrong name. His new name Westside Knecht," the rapper said. "So, Westside Knecht he'll put that money up."

Snoop Dogg's new moniker for the rookie is a nod to rapper Ice Cube's hip-hop supergroup, "Westside Connection."

The rapper also gave his thoughts on what the Lakers' season would look like. According to him, the Purple & Gold will have a grand year and achieve a lot this season.