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KNOXVILLE, TN – December 09, 2023 – Guard Dalton Knecht #3 of the Tennessee Volunteers during the game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Tennessee Volunteers at Food City Center in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Ian Cox/Tennessee AthleticsIan Cox/Tennessee Athletics

Knecht Nominated as Finalist for Lute Olson National Player of the Year Award

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Dalton Knecht from the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team has been named as one of the finalists for the prestigious Lute Olson National Player of the Year Award, according to an announcement made on Wednesday afternoon.

This marks the third national award recognition for Knecht following the conclusion of the regular season. He is among the 10 semifinalists for the Naismith Trophy and one of the 15 players listed on the Wooden Award National Ballot. Furthermore, Knecht was included in the USBWA Oscar Robertson Trophy Watch List on February 27.

Hailing from Thornton, Colo., Knecht, a fifth-year guard, boasts impressive statistics, averaging 21.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game, with shooting percentages of 46.5 percent overall and 39.7 percent from beyond the arc.

Knecht was honored with the SEC Player of the Year title by both the conference’s 14 head coaches and the Associated Press, with the latter granting him a unanimous selection. He was also named a First Team All-American by ESPN, Field of 68, the NABC, The Sporting News, and the USBWA.

Leading the Division I in both 39-point and 35-point performances, Knecht has equaled Tennessee’s single-season record in these categories, achieving three and five instances, respectively. He ranks third in the nation and second among Power Six players with seven 30-point games.

Standing at 6-foot-6 and weighing 213 pounds, Knecht demonstrated exceptional performance in SEC play, averaging 25.5 points per game, the highest among all Division I players during the 2023-24 season. His 24.8 points per game in true road games rank him third nationally and second among Power Six players, marking him as one of the top SEC players in the last two decades.

The Lute Olson Award, named in honor of the Hall of Fame coach with 776 career wins in 34 seasons, is presented by CollegeInsider.com. The award recipient is chosen by a 10-member voting committee comprising current and former head coaches and CollegeInsider.com staff members.

Among the 30 finalists for the Lute Olson Award, 22 players represent Power Six conferences, including four others from the SEC: Johni Broome from Auburn, Meechie Johnson from South Carolina, Mark Sears from Alabama, and Reed Sheppard from Kentucky.