The Los Angeles Lakers welcomed their newest members to the team on Tuesday, with rookies Dalton Knecht and Bronny James showcasing their new NBA jerseys for the first time. Knecht, who was drafted at No. 17 after leading Tennessee to the Elite Eight, chose to wear No. 6 in honor of Bill Russell and Juice WRLD, while James, who joined the team at No. 55 after recovering from heart surgery, opted for No. 9 in memory of late rapper Juice WRLD.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Knecht explained his decision to switch from No. 3 to No. 4 in order to avoid clashing with Lakers star Anthony Davis, saying “So why not do Knecht 4?” James, on the other hand, didn’t need to make any number changes since he was the only one wearing No. 6 in the NBA.
Both Knecht and James will make their Lakers debut during the upcoming Summer League games in Sacramento and Las Vegas respectively. The Summer League games will take place at the California Classic Summer League from July 6-10 and NBA Summer League from July 12-18, where fans can watch them play for the first time.
