5 reasons why Dalton Knecht won't win 2024 Naismith Player of the Year

Tennessee Volunteers senior guard Dalton Knecht has been named a finalist for the 2024 Naismith Player of the Year. Knecht has emerged as a top player in college hoops this season after transferring from Northern Colorado and spending his first two seasons at a junior college.

Knecht has brought Tennessee to the forefront of contenders for a national championship this season while posting phenomenal numbers. Even though he has proven himself to be a top player, some obstacles still stand between Knecht and becoming college basketball player of the year.

Here are five reasons Dalton Knecht won't win the 2024 Naismith Player of the Year.

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5 reasons why Dalton Knecht won't win 2024 Naismith Player of the Year

#1. Competition

Dalton Knecht will not win the award this season because of the field of competition surrounding him for the award. Zach Edey, RJ Davis and Jamal Shead are the players who will be up against Knecht for the award this season.

Edey is the frontrunner to win the award, leading the nation in scoring with 24.5 points and ranks third in rebounding with 12.1 per game. North Carolina guard RJ Davis is averaging a career-high 21.3 ppg and shooting over 40% from beyond the arc. Houston's Jamal Shead has been arguably the best two-way player this season, averaging 13.2 points, 6.4 assists, and 2.2 steals.

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#2. Knecht's numbers are down in certain statistical categories

While his scoring average has increased from his previous seasons, Knecht's numbers have fallen in other statistical categories. He's had a slight drop in his field goal percentage, free throw percentage, and assists.

His rebounding numbers are where he's seen his biggest slip from past seasons. He averaged 7.2 rebounds last season with Northern Colorado but averaged just 4.9 rpg this season.

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#3. Lack of dominance on defense

Dalton Knecht's offensive numbers immediately jump off the stat sheet, but his defensive ability leaves something to be desired. Knecht averages just 0.6 blocks and 0.6 steals this season. He has never averaged over one steal or block in his career.

His lack of defensive skill is more apparent when you compare his numbers to those of fellow finalist Jamal Shead. Shead is about five inches shorter than Knecht but averages nearly the same amount of blocks and close to two more steals per game as well.

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#4. Tennessee failed to earn a No. 1 seed in March Madness

A glaring difference between Dalton Knecht and the other three finalists for the Naismith Player of the Year Award is that Knecht is the only player who plays for a team that didn't earn a number one seed in March Madness. Tennessee is the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region, behind Zach Edey's top-seeded Purdue Boilermakers.

The Volunteers could have earned themselves an automatic bid by winning the SEC Conference Tournament, but they fell to Mississippi State in the quarterfinal. Team success is often a key part of earning this award, and Tennessee's failure to earn a top seed in the NCAA Tournament could be the difference between Knecht winning or losing the award.

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#5. Poor performances in games this season

Consistency is vital for top players in any sport. Dalton Knecht hasn't been inconsistent by any means, but he does have four games this season in which he scored in single digits.

He also had five games this season in which he shot under 30% from the field. While these struggles don't always translate to losses, they can throw a team into disarray when their leading scorer is having a difficult time putting the ball in the basket.