Lakers Fans Are Saying the Same Thing About Bronny James and Dalton Knecht

Dalton Knecht and Bronny James were selected by the Los Angeles Lakers last year, and are two of the most discussed players from the 2024 NBA Draft. Knecht, the sharpshooter out of Tennessee, went 17th overall, while James had to wait until the second round to hear his name called, going 55th overall. 

Both entered this year’s Summer League eager to prove themselves after struggling for consistent minutes in their rookie seasons. This week, though, the two young guards have delivered contrasting performances under the bright lights of Summer League play.

That was on display Sunday against the Miami Heat.

Los Angeles Lakers first round draft pick Dalton Knecht (4) and second round draft pick Bronny James (9)

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Knecht, expected to showcase his scoring upside, struggled in the Lakers’ opening loss to the Golden State Warriors, finishing with just 10 points on 3-of-13 shooting, including 0-of-6 from three, in 30 minutes of action. James, on the other hand, sat out the first game but returned with an immediate spark against the Miami Heat on Sunday.

He made his presence felt right away, stealing the ball in the opening seconds before racing down the court for a dunk to score the Lakers’ first points. By halftime, James had racked up 10 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 steal on 3-of-6 shooting from the field and 2-of-4 from deep in just 11 minutes.

Fans wasted no time drawing comparisons between the two second-year teammates:

“Bronny leaping knecht already,” one fan wrote.

“How is Bronny James already better than knecht 😭” another fan added.

“Knecht has played double the minutes as Bronny and yet still [expletive] on the court,” a third fan posted.

“dude dalton knecht is horrible … bronny might literally be a better player than him right now man,” another fan remarked.

“Bronny > Dalton Knecht,” one fan simply said.

“Bronny looks great while Knecht looks terrible lol,” another fan mentioned.

It’s only early July, but the hot takes show just how closely Lakers fans are watching these two prospects.