DENVER (KeynoteUSA) — Dalton Knecht has always carried something with him throughout his basketball career across the country and at various schools: a resentment.
Feeling overlooked has fueled the Colorado guard throughout his stops at Northeastern Junior College (Colorado), Northern Colorado and Tennessee. Knecht is coming off his final college season during which he averaged 21.7 points with the Volunteers, earned All-America honors and received accolades from none other than his idol, Kevin Durant.
That determination has Knecht (pronounced “connect”) on the verge of becoming a lottery pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. The most recent KeynoteUSA mock draft projects him going to the Memphis Grizzlies at No. 9.
“I feel like I’ve been underestimated my whole life,” Knecht said in a recent interview with the KeynoteUSA. “I feel like people discounted me. Proving people wrong was the most important thing for me, always going on the court knowing that I’m the best player and just going out and proving it. Making sure that when the game is over, they say Dalton was the best player.”
The kind advice of his coaches also travels with him.
From Eddie Trenkle of Northeastern Junior College: Work harder when no one is watching.
From Steve Smiley of Northern Colorado: Be consistent every day.
From Rick Barnes in Tennessee: Focus on the little things.
From mom and dad, his biggest fans: Dream big.
He has fused all of that together.
For being here, in this position, he credits a growth spurt that took him from 5-foot-8 in high school to 6-6 now. He also helps defend the confinement of Zoe, the family dog, every time he dribbles around the house.
And that chip.
Coming out of Prairie View High School in Henderson, Colorado, he didn’t receive many offers because “I didn’t have a name for myself,” he explained.
That would change.
Knecht spent two seasons in college in Sterling, Colorado, where he earned NJCAA All-America honors as a sophomore after averaging 23.9 points.
To this day, one piece of advice from Trenkle remains with him.
“He told me, ‘When people are sleeping, go to the gym and work,’” Knecht recalls.
Trenkle recalled how, after home games and long after fans had left, Knecht would return to the court to perfect one aspect of his game. For example, a middle distance jumper.
“When you say gym rat, he’s the epitome,” Trenkle said. “He’s fought his way to the top wherever he’s been.”
Trenkle is convinced Knecht would have landed at a Power Five school after his time at Sterling if not for the coronavirus pandemic. Whenever he had the opportunity, he praised Knecht to the coaches.
“I’m sure there are some people who say, ‘Man, I probably should have taken that call from Coach Trenkle,” joked Trenkle, who has been the Plainsmen’s head coach since 2006.
That opened the door to Northern Colorado, a program that resides in the Big Sky Conference and is about an hour from where his family lived. Knecht spent two years with the Bears, winning the league’s scoring title in his senior season with an average of 20.2 points.
Greeley followed Smiley’s advice.
“He told me, ‘Be consistent every day and keep growing on top of that,’” said Knecht, who was invited to the draft.
With one season of eligibility remaining, Knecht threw his name into the transfer portal. He was sold on Tennessee after attending the spring football game on his recruiting trip.
“I wanted to go somewhere I could do a fun run in March,” Knecht said.
Plus, he wanted to play for Barnes, who coached his favorite NBA player, Durant, when the coach and player were in Texas.
“Coach Barnes is that person who will push everyone to be their best,” said Knecht, who has been crisscrossing the country for pre-draft workouts. “I told him when I came to visit that I want to be pushed really hard.”
That behavior took Knecht to new heights when he was named to the KeynoteUSA Men’s College Basketball All-America team, in addition to earning SEC Player of the Year accolades.
“No one could have projected what he’s done,” Barnes said during the NCAA Tournament as the Volunteers advanced to the Elite Eight before losing to Purdue in a game in which Knecht scored 37 points.
His big game against the Boilermakers and big man Zach Edey put him on the radar of LeBron James, who mentioned Knecht in an interview.
“Does LeBron say my name? “It’s crazy,” Knecht recalls. “It was a great moment.”
Durant also praised Knecht after one of his numerous high-scoring games (Knecht had eight games with 30 or more points, including 40 against Kentucky).
From Knoxville, you’ll receive words of wisdom from Barnes.
“He says, take care of the small details,” Knecht said. “I just believed in myself and stayed confident. Great friends and family, as well as coaches and teammates, have helped me. … I’m ready.”
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Keynote USA
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