Dalton Knecht, who is the Lakers 2024 first-round pick, hasn’t played in an official NBA game yet but hip-hop legend Snoop Dogg has already seen enough to crown him as the next Lakers sensation. In a recent appearance on First Take, Snoop spoke highly of Dalton and gave him a new nickname to honor his impressive play: “Westside Knecht.”

“You called him by the wrong name. His new name is Westside Knecht,” said Snoop on First Take. “Please recognize game when it’s in your face… but the Lakers are on a mission, we got everyone that we need, everybody’s back and it seems like everybody’s healthy. I like the pick, I like Knecht, and I like ‘lil Bronny. I feel like we got some young goons, and then LeBron is gonna do his thing. I just think we need a center.”

Snoop Dogg is a lifelong Lakers fan and he’s unapologetic about making his bias known. In the past, Snoop has been critical of the Lakers’ poor decision making but after watching his team conclude this year’s stint in the pre-season, he’s feeling optimistic about their chances for success.

For the first time in years, the Los Angeles Lakers are thriving on a positive culture and on a system that’s designed to maximize everyone’s strengths. Unexpected help from the young players have created a new sense of hope and Dalton Knecht is at the heart of it all.

Knecht was the hero of the night in L.A.’s latest pre-season game against the Phoenix Suns. In the final match before the season, Knecht dropped 35 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals in 31 minutes, including the buzzer-beating three-pointer he made to send the game to overtime.

Dalton, who was picked 17th overall out of Tennessee, was always projected to be a part of JJ Redick’s rotation from day one but after his electric pre-season performance, it’s all but guaranteed that he’ll get some reliable minutes in the backcourt.

For now, it’s still D’Angelo Russell who will start for the Lakers but Knecht’s youth, energy, and fearless scoring make him an ideal fit next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis. If Dalton carries this momentum into the season, it may not be long before he takes the starting role and steps into a position as the third offensive option.

Of course, without a single minute of real NBA action, it’s far too early to make any conclusions on Dalton’s game and it could take more time before he’s ready to produce big numbers on a consistent basis. At just 23 years old, however, Knecht has shown enough already to create major excitement among Lakers fans and his development will be a major storyline throughout the season.

At 39 and 31 years old, respectively, LeBron James and Anthony Davis cannot carry the load alone and they need more help if the Lakers are to keep up with the Western elites. Players such as Austin Reaves and Rui Hacmimura can step in when needed, but Dalton’s impressive shooting and versatile scoring options could make him a particularly effective weapon for the Lake Show

For now, there’s no telling what we can expect from Knecht but the Lakers are going to be patient and cautious with their approach so they can avoid getting in the way of his crucial development process.