LOS Angeles Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht went viral after choosing his jersey number.
The 23-year-old former Tennessee standout will play for the Lakers with the number 4 on his back.
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Los Angeles revealed Knecht’s jersey number with a suggested nickname, calling the 6-foot-10 winger the Knecht Four.
When said out loud, it proves to be a particularly captivating name and number combination because of the pronunciation of pick number 17’s surname: Kuh-Nekt.
It makes the moniker sound like Connect Four, which is the name of a classic family game that challenges players to place four pieces of the same color in a row within a grid.
NBA fans loved Knecht’s nickname.
“OMG this is legendary,” one posted on X.
“Perfect nickname for Rookie of the Year,” added another.
“This will sell,” said a third.
“Perfect choice,” wrote one.
Knecht has been labeled one of the steals of the 2024 draft.
The North Dakota native was projected to be a lottery or top-10 pick.
He averaged 21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 steals for Tennessee last season, shooting 45.8% from the field and 39.7% from 3.
Knecht received the Julius Erving Award, given to the best forward in college basketball, for his efforts.
It also caught the attention of Lakers star LeBron James.
After Los Angeles selected Knecht, NBA fans discovered a clip of the 20-time All-Star praising the then-Volunteers standout.
“We watched the Purdue-Tennessee game because of Zach Edey and [Dalton] Knecht,” he said earlier this year.
“The players, depending on who they are, will draw attention as far as the audience is concerned.”
The Lakers also revealed the jersey number of their second-round selection, LeBron’s son, Bronny James.
The No. 55 overall pick will wear the No. 9 top.
Meanwhile, his nameplate will read “James Jr.”
Bronny and LeBron are the first active father-son duo in NBA history.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
