The person ESPN told viewers was Dalton Knecht sure looked different than reality.
It wasn’t the Tennessee guard but Frenchman Tidjane Salaün, who was selected No. 6 in the 2024 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday.
The ESPN broadcast team misidentified Salaün after attempting to show Knecht on the broadcast before the Hornets’ pick.
The Lakers ultimately selected Knecht 17th overall.
Probably all the experts and fans bowed their heads at this, as the two do not look alike in the slightest.
The mistake caused a stir on social media platforms, as many users believed that confusing the two was “awesome” because of how bad it was.
One X user posted: “That’s not the Dalton Knecht I know.”
Another sarcastically added: “ The draft started perfectly! MY GOD!!!! Dalton Knecht.
The Atlanta Hawks selected Zaccharie Risacher with the first overall pick before the rest of the draft followed.
Salaün’s 1.95 meter height helped him average nine points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals while competing for the Cholet Basket club in the French LNB Pro A league.
He was the Hornets’ first pick under new owner and head coach Charles Lee.
Knecht was impressive as a senior at Tennessee.
He helped his team have one of the best seasons in program history, a 27-9 record, before losing to Purdue in the Elite Eight.
Knecht averaged 21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.
They’ll both probably look back on this moment years from now as a fun memory, but ESPN quickly felt the sting of their mistake.
