NBA Comparison: Mike Miller/Rex Chapman

Strengths: Explosive, rangy, and powerful do it all wing… Has shown incredible improvement from his high school playing days, aided by a huge growth spurt. But his skill level has also reaches new heights each year… Rangy 6’6″ with a long wingspan (official measurement is tbd, but we will not be surprised to see 6’10″+)… Relentless… Always in attack mode. Has a scorer’s mindset… Can hit defenders with 2–3 moves on the same drive and get to his spot… Crafty finisher around the hoops… When he doesn’t get directly to the rim can finish with tough scoops and floaters… Every game might have a play or three where he comes out of nowhere and throws it down even in a halfcourt set… Can catch the lob for the throwdown as easily as many forwards… Catches it on the perimeter and converts it immediately into his move, doesn’t dilly dally on the perimeter… Not elite, but a very good shooter (40% from three this season) with pure mechanics… Efficient overall scorer at just below 50% from the field and just below 80% from the FT line… Takes care of the ball (just 1.4 turnovers per game)… Solid rebounder, including with the putback dunk… Smart off-ball mover, excellent with the backdoor cut… Great body control, dunks it through contact… Mixes it up in the post and hits the mid range fadeaway with a high release… Ultra confident scorer… Good catch and shoot player, transfers the pass into the three point shot at an NBA level… With the rate of improvement he’s displayed over the past 5 years, “growth” has to be mentioned as a skill. He has progressed at a remarkable rate relative to nearly any one of his peers… Shows toughness, had a nasty looking ankle sprain and returned without much missed time, he’s surely playing the second half of the 2023–24 season hobbled but still producing at a very high level (has had weeks-long stretches where he’s been arguably college basketball’s best player)… Can go on these insane hot streaks where he hits 6+ shots in a row… Good hands and overall control… On the older side of this draft, can likely slot in and help an NBA team immediately… Feels like he was in consideration for mention in our Stock Watch series almost every week, as each week he did something even more impressive than the previous throughout the 2023–24 season…

Weaknesses: Despite his length and mobility, he doesn’t stand out as a lockdown defender… Has never averaged > 0.8 steals nor blocks (not the only way to measure defense, but it’s one surprising input given his tools)… Could use his length more effectively… Not much of a playmaker. Gets his own but has not displayed much in terms of passing… While he’s explosive above the rim, he doesn’t blow past his guy in the open floor nor off the dribble (he is effective off the dribble but his game is more predicated on deception and absorbing contact)… Not the fastest in a straight line… He imposes his will, physically, against mostly younger college competition. Can he do the same at the pro level, or tweak his game to rely less on physicality?… Super Senior. Will turn 23 in April making him one of the oldest players in this year’s draft …

Notes: Played two years of JUCO and then two years at University of Northern Colorado before playing a 5th year at Tennessee in 2023–24… With Northern Colorado, won the Big Sky scoring title by averaging a league-best 20.2 points per game, which ranked 23rd among Division I players…. As a JUCO player, earned first-team NJCAA All-America recognition… As a true freshman at junior college, only started 14 of the 31 games in which he appeared… Last name is pronounced as “connect”… Born in Fargo, North Dakota… Reportedly looks up to Kevin Durant… Knecht was 5-foot-8 as a high school sophomore, then hit his growth spurt that continued for several years.

Drew Wolin 2/3/24

Notes: Measured 6′ 5.25” barefoot, 8′ 7.50” standing reach, 212.2 lbs, 6′ 9.00” wingspan, 31 standing vert, 39 max vert at the 2024 NBA Draft Combine …