Who Was the Last Laker to Win Rookie of the Year? Dalton Knecht’s 37-Point Quickfire Brings Up a Shocking ROTY Detail
LA is buzzing. And it’s all because of Dalton Knecht. If anyone didn’t know him before, they surely do now after he dropped a career-high 37 points in the win against Utah. Moreover, that’s the most points any rookie has scored this season. Although we are only fourteen games in, Knecht’s dominant performance has already sparked murmurs about him bagging the Rookie of the Year trophy.
Surely, that would be a historic feat, especially because a player wearing Purple and Gold has not won that trophy in a very long time. Yes, the last time a Lakers player won ROTY was in 1959. The winner? Elgin Baylor, who had to average a whopping 24.9 points and fifteen rebounds to achieve that feat.
Surprised? You should be, because as historic as the franchise is, it is shocking that they have not produced a Rookie of the Year winner for 65 years. Moreover, the team was still named the Minneapolis Lakers when Baylor won. So technically, no LA Lakers player has ever received that honor.
It’s not that Jeanie Buss’ franchise has lacked great rookies since then. Of course, there was Jerry West, who was drafted just two years after Elgin. And his impact was evident from the start as he averaged nearly eighteen points as a rookie. However, The Logo was edged out by Oscar Robertson for the ROTY honors. Then came Magic Johnson, arguably the greatest player they have ever drafted. Sure enough, he proved his worth by leading the Lakers to a championship in his very first season.
But the ROTY trophy? That went to Larry Bird, sparking one of the greatest rivalries in league history. Well, it’s been way too long since a Laker lifted that trophy. But Knecht could change that.
LeBron James Claims Other Teams “Fu*ked it Up” as Dalton Knecht Makes ROTY Case
“Top 1% shooter” – that’s the elite class JJ Redick put Knecht in before the season began. And the rookie has lived up to the hype so far. He showed it tonight by making nine deep-range shots on just twelve attempts. Moreover, he scored 22 straight Laker points in the second half to ensure his team keeps their winning streak alive. With this epic performance, Knecht has now climbed to the fourth spot in the rookie scoring table with an average of 11.3 points.
Topping that chart is Jared McCain, but he is less than four points ahead of Dalton’s average. So, the Lakers rookie could catch up if he continues to play like this. Moreover, Knecht has been on fire from deep range, shooting at a 46.4% efficiency. He could very well create history by winning the ROTY trophy, especially because this year’s race is not one-sided like last year’s, which featured a generational standout like Victor Wembanyama or Chet Holmgren. Right now, it’s anybody’s game.
