LA is buzzing. And it is all because of Dalton Knecht. If anyone didn’t know him before, they surely do after tonight as he dropped a career-high 37 points in the win against Utah. Moreover, that’s the most points any rookie has scored this season. Although we are only fourteen games in, Knecht’s dominant performance has already sparked murmurs about him bagging the Rookie of the Year trophy. Surely, that will be a historic feat, mainly because a player wearing Purple and Gold has not won the trophy in a very long time.

Yes, the last time a Lakers player won ROTY was in 1959! The winner? Elgin Baylor. Who had to average a whopping 24.9 points and fifteen rebounds to achieve that feat. Surprised? You should be, because as historic as the franchise is, it is shocking that they have not produced a Rookie of the Year winner for 65 years! Moreover, importantly, this team was still named the Minneapolis Lakers when Baylor won. So technically, no ‘LA’ Lakers player has ever received that honor.

It’s not that Jeanie Buss’ franchise has not had great rookies since then. Of course, there was Jerry West, who was drafted just two years after Elgin. And his impact was evident from the get-go as he averaged nearly eighteen points as a rookie.

However, The Logo was edged out by Oscar Robertson for the ROTY honors. Then came Magic Johnson, arguably the greatest player they have ever drafted. Sure enough, he proved it by leading the Lakers to a championship in his very first season.

But the ROTY trophy? That went to Larry Bird, sparking one of the greatest rivalries in basketball history. Well, it’s been way too long since a young Laker lifted that coveted trophy. Dalton Knecht could change that!

LeBron James claims other teams “fu**ed it up” as Dalton Knecht makes ROTY case

“Top 1% shooter”- That’s the elite class JJ Redick put Dalton Knecht in before the season began. And the rookie has lived up to the hype so far. Yes, he showed it tonight by making nine deep-range shots on just twelve attempts. Moreover, he scored 22 straight Laker points in the second half to ensure his team keeps their winning streak alive! With this epic performance, the Tennessee alum has now climbed to the fourth spot in the NBA rookie scoring table with an average of 11.3 points.

Topping that chart is Jared McCain, but he is less than four points ahead of Dalton Knecht’s average. So, the LA Lakers rookie could catch up if he continues to play like this. Moreover, he has been on fire from deep range as he is shooting at a 46.4% efficiency.

And the young gun could very well create history by winning the ROTY trophy, especially because this year’s race is not one-sided like last year as there is no standout generational rookie like Victor Wembanyama or Chet Holmgren. So, it’s anybody’s game right now.

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And Dalton Knecht even left King James in awe with his performance, as the four-time champ could not comprehend how teams let him fall to No. 17 in the draft. “They didn’t find DK. The other 16 teams fu–ed it up. Did anybody watch him? F–k!” Well, he is being deemed the steal of this year’s draft and he could solidify that claim by bringing that ROTY trophy home. Do you think he can do it?