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Dalton Knecht told reporters on Thursday that he conducted a fan poll to decide on his new nickname going forward, with “Knecht 4” beating out the “Westside Knecht” moniker given to him by musician and Los Angeles Lakers’ super fan Snopp Dogg.
He said Snoop Dogg could absolutely still call him “Westside Kncecht,” however:
Snoop Dogg unveiled the “Westside Knecht” nickname during an appearance on ESPN’s First Take last week, noting that “the Lakers is on a mission, we got everything we need, everybody’s back, seems like everybody’s healthy. I like the pick, I like Knecht and I like little Bronny [James].”
The man with multiple nicknames had a decent NBA debut off the bench on Tuesday night, scoring five points to go along with a rebound, steal and two assists across 16 minutes in the Lakers’ 110-103 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
That followed a strong preseason that saw him average 18 points and 4.2 rebounds per game, and included a 35-point outburst against the Phoenix Suns in the final tune-up before the regular season.
It’s clear that Knecht has already earned himself a regular spot in the rotation during his rookie season, a fantastic outcome for a non-lottery selection (No. 17 overall). And he already has the nickname situation locked down, too.