Dalton Knecht has played his final game for Tennessee, but his impact in his lone season in Knoxville is still garnering attention.
The superstar guard who is coming off of a record-breaking campaign that helped the Vols win the SEC regular season title for the first time in 16 years and reach the Elite Eight for just the second time in program history, is one of five finalists for the John R. Wooden Award.
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The five finalists for the award, which is voted on by the Los Angeles Athletic Club and given to the national player of the year annually, were announced Tuesday.
Knecht joins Purdue center Zach Edey, North Carolina guard R.J. Davis, Connecticut guard Tristan Newton and Houston guard Jamal Shead.
Knecht, who became Tennessee's fourth all-time consensus All-America earlier this month, landed on the Wooden Award All-American Team, which included 10 players.
A transfer from Northern Colorado, Knecht was one of the headliners in college basketball during the 2023-24 season. He finished his career as one of the prolific scorers in program history, averaging 21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.
Knecht shot 45.8% from the field and 39.7% from three-point range. He scored 15 or more points in 27 games, 20 or more points in 19 games and 30 or more points in eight games, including 37 points in his last game against 1-seed Purdue in the Elite Eight on Sunday.
MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Five defining games from Vols' SEC title, Elite Eight run
Knecht scored a career-high 40 points against Kentucky on March 9.
Among Knecht's other individual accolades was being selected the SEC Player of the Year by both league coaches and the Associated Press, which voted him unanimously and named him to its All-SEC First Team and All-America First Team.
Knecht is the second Wooden Award finalist from Tennessee in the last six seasons. Former standout Grant Williams was a finalist during the 2018-19 season.
The Wooden Award winner will be selected on April 12.
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