The Los Angeles Lakers entered the 2024 NBA Draft hopeful to land an impactful player, but uncertain that one would be attainable. After Tennessee's Dalton Knecht fell to them, General Manager Rob Pelinka and the organization were ecstatic.

Armed with the No. 17 pick in tonight's NBA Draft, the Lakers watched 23-year old Knecht start to slide in the draft and became surprisingly available to them after the Philadelphia 76ers selected Duke guard Jared McCain with the 16th overall pick.

There was seemingly no doubt once the Lakers were officially on the clock that he was going to them.

Pelinka And Lakers React

The ESPN broadcast showed the scene inside the Los Angeles Lakers' war room at their El Segundo practice facility. Rob Pelinka, new head coach JJ Redick, and the Lakers organization were seen hugging and celebrating ahead of the pick's official announcement.

Shortly after, Dalton Knecht's selection was announced.

Shortly after the pick's selection, Pelinka met with members of the media, where he addressed the Lakers selection of the Tennessee sharpshooter.

“It's a really exciting night for the Los Angeles Lakers,” Rob Pelinka said of the Lakers drafting Dalton Knecht. “Obviously going into the draft process, at the beginning of this, with the Anthony Davis trade, we weren't sure whther our pick would convey to us or actually stay with the Pelicans so step one in making this pick selection is getting the news that the Pelicans would allow us to keep our pick this year which of course was 17.

“And that started the deliberations with the scouts and other front office folks and onboarding JJ Redick and getting our board right. We would've never imagined a player as skilled and sort of perfect for our needs would be there for us as Dalton Knecht. We had him as a top-10 player unanimously across our scouting boards.”

In his senior year with Tennessee, Dalton Knecht averaged 21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists on 45.8 percent shooting from the field and 39.7 percent from three. He recorded at least 36 points six times during the season.

In 2024 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, Knecht was a stud averaging 26 points 6.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists on 41.2 percent shooting from the field and 40 percent from three, leading the Tennessee Volunteers to the Elite 8.

Knecht was largely expected to go in the top-10 of the NBA Draft and surely in the lottery. In fact, Rob Pelinka even said that the Lakers were unable to secure a workout with Knecht because of how high he was expected to be selected.

“I was at the SEC tournament scouting him extensively and, in my mind, was like there's no way a player like this can be available for us to pick on draft night,” Pelinka added. “Across the board, just couldn't be happier. I was joking with coach Redick upstairs that we found a movement shooter to match his skills as a shooter and he already had his whiteboard out drawing up pindowns and ATO's and actions where he can run a movement shooter off screens so I think his mind is already working on drawing up plays for dalton. Overall, just really really excited.”

The Lakers also possess the 55th pick in the Draft, which will be made tomorrow afternoon. The first round concluded with Bronny James, son of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, undrafted and still available. It remains to be seen whether James will fall to the Lakers at 55, but it is noteworthy that he only conducted NBA Draft workouts with the Lakers and Phoenix Suns.

Day 2 and the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft will begin at 1PM PST on ESPN.