In one of the more significant leaps this offseason, Northern Colorado star Dalton Knecht is off to Knoxville to play for Tennessee. Whether he is prepared for the leap is anyone’s guess, but the Volunteers are bringing in a talented scorer that should give them the offensive firepower they were missing a season ago.
In this edition of Transfer Portal Profiles, we discuss former Northern Colorado guard Dalton Knecht’s game and his fit at Tennessee.
Career at Northern Colorado
After two seasons in JUCO, Knecht carved out a role in his first season at Northern Colorado as a strong bench piece with plenty of upside. He filled that potential in his senior season, exploding for 20.2 points per game on 47.9 percent shooting from the floor. He became a focal point of the team’s offense in 2022-23, taking over 30 percent of the team’s shots. Knecht became an All-Big Sky Second-Team selection and was ranked fourth on KenPom’s top players in the conference.
Scouting Report
At 6’6″, Knecht utilizes his length to his advantage on dribble drives to the rim. He has an above-average downhill speed for a player his size, and paired with his respectable three-point jumper, Knecht is a matchup nightmare. His averages are slightly inflated as a player within Northern Colorado’s up-tempo system, the second-fastest in the Big Sky. But despite the seventh-highest usage rate in the conference, his efficiency numbers are strong for a player that is used to receiving so much attention from opposing defenses.
The Fit at Tennessee
Going from the Big Sky to the SEC is a massive leap, and it will be interesting to see what kind of role Knecht fills with the team. He’s one of the most talented scorers on the roster, but his defensive limitations could be exploited at this level. The physicality of the SEC, particularly at the rim, could be enough to give him some trouble on his rim attacks as well. But Knecht is a tremendous offensive talent, and we saw enough big-time performances from the Colorado native to know not to doubt his ability. He should see plenty of minutes and opportunity with the Volunteers next season.
Check out some of our other Transfer Portal Profiles: Kerr Kriisa, West Virginia | LJ Cryer, Houston | Walter Clayton Jr., Florida
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