Dalton Knecht Named Finalist For Wooden Award

Tennessee Volunteers guard Dalton Knecht has been named one of five finalists for one of the most prestigious awards in college basketball.

Tennessee Volunteers guard Dalton Knecht has been named one of five finalists for one of the most prestigious awards in college basketball.

Even after basketball season ended at the Univeristy of Tennessee, guard Dalton Knecht's season continues to grow more legendary. He's now been named as one of five finalists for the Wooden Award, annually given to college basketball's top player. His counterparts include Houston guard Jamal Shead, North Carolina guard RJ Davis, Purdue forward Zach Edey, and UConn guard Tristen Newton.

Knecht transferred to Tennessee to get defensive instruction from head coach Rick Barnes, a mastermind on that end of the floor. However, he got so much more than helpful defensive slide pointers; Knecht got to run the show for a program desperate to make noise in March Madness. He managed to deliver, averaging 26 points per game in the tournament. Knecht scored 37 points in their Elite 8 loss to the Purdue Boilermakers, making an array of impressive three-point shots.

With Knecht off to the professional ranks, Tennessee will once again use the transfer portal to try to retool its roster. It won't find someone who provided Knecht's impact, but it's nice to have stories like this that can bolster a program and fanbase's confidence in the transfer portal, chaotic as it has become in the ever-changing world of collegiate athletics.

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