Bronny James did not hold back his compliments after witnessing his teammate in action during the most recent game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets on March 14. Although James has not solidified a spot in the Lakers’ regular rotation, he has been given minutes sparingly throughout the season on a two-way contract.
While James did steal the majority of the media’s attention at the start of the season, Dalton Knecht has proven to be a very valuable player. After watching his impressive performance against the Nuggets, James was interviewed and asked to share his thoughts on his fellow Lakers 2024 NBA Draft classmate.
Bronny James Credits Dalton Knecht for His Growth as a Player, Human
Knecht was chosen by the Lakers with the 17th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Although James was chosen in the second round, he was often given more media attention than Knecht.
Knecht has let his game speak for him all season long, undoubtedly establishing himself as one of the young rising stars in the league. Although the Lakers’ superstars like Luka Dončić and LeBron James did not play against the Nuggets, Knecht stepped up and scored 32 points.
James had high praise for his teammate after the game concluded: “It’s special. I had so much fun with him playing for the first time in the NBA Summer League, and that was amazing.”
“Just so proud of him seeing his growth as a basketball player and as a person. Yeah, that’s my guy; we have a good relationship off and on the court, so looking forward to seeing him grow.”
Bronny James speaks on his development this year: “Putting in work behind the scenes, it’s just been very good for me … I can see improvement and it’s been going well for me” pic.twitter.com/7NOF5Sbw1S
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) March 15, 2025
While it is certainly nice to see that James can credit his teammate, fans have taken this opportunity to criticize his lack of success. After all, many expected James to be doing what Knecht has been doing given his family history. However, that is arguably an unfair expectation for a player drafted in the last few picks of Round 2.
Knecht has already proven that he deserves a spot on the Lakers’ roster, accumulating a decent compilation of highlights and high-pressure shots in the NBA already. Although it is unfair to compare him and James, that trend is expected to continue given that they are from the same draft class and have given fans very different impressions.
Injuries to the roster’s main stars will ensure that Knecht and James are given more minutes on the court. Both young stars have the perfect opportunity to prove themselves.