Dalton Knecht has flown under the radar for much of his basketball career, but the Los Angeles Lakers rookie is quickly making his presence known in the NBA.

In seven games coming off the bench, Knecht is averaging 7.3 points, 1.3 rebounds, and one assist per game while shooting 47.4 percent from the field. Last week, the No. 17 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft turned in the best performance of his young professional career, recording 18 points, three rebounds, and one assist in 22 minutes played against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Entering play Wednesday, Knecht is tied for the third-highest odds to be crowned the 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year. Memphis Grizzlies’ Zach Edey leads the pack at +350, followed close behind by Atlanta Hawks’ Zaccharie Risacher (+750), Knecht (+1600), the Phoenix Suns’ Ryan Dunn (+1600), and the Toronto Raptors’ Jamal Shead (+1600).

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Knecht’s strong play is all the more impressive considering his long and strenuous journey to the NBA. Following stints at Northeastern Junior College and Northern Colorado, he transferred to the University of Tennessee for his final year of college eligibility.

In 36 games for the Volunteers, Knecht averaged 21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists en route to propelling Tennessee to an Elite Eight berth. Against Purdue, he recorded 37 points and shot 6-of-12 from behind the arc, but the dominant effort was not enough to stave off elimination.

On the heels of an impressive 2023-24 campaign, many across the NBA expected Knecht to be selected within the first 10 picks of the NBA Draft. But he surprisingly fell to the Lakers, who already appear to have secured a steal.

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After being underestimated throughout his life, Knecht now uses it as motivation to prove the doubters wrong. “I play with a chip on my shoulder regardless of falling in the draft or not,” he told reporters on Wednesday. “I’ve been underrated my whole entire life, from junior college to high school.

“So that’s why I would say I feel like I’ve been underrated my whole life, so I always have a chip on my shoulder.”

Immediately after being drafted back in June, Knecht expressed a similar sentiment when asked how he’s managed to rise to the occasion each time he’s been faced with a new challenge in his basketball career. “I would just say playing with a chip on my shoulder,” he replied.

“Every single time I touch a basketball or walk into a gym, I always feel like I’ve got something to prove. It doesn’t matter where I’m at.

“It’s always going to be there, having that chip on my shoulder, feeling like I’ve been underrated for my whole life. It’s something I’m going to carry with me the rest of my career.”