Photo: Bronny James, Dalton Knecht Sport Lakers Jerseys After 2024 NBA Draft

Julia StumbaughJuly 2, 2024

El Segundo, CA, Tuesday, July 2, 2024 - Lakers draft picks Dalton Knecht and Bronny James are introduced at the UCLA Health Training Center. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Newly-drafted Los Angeles Lakers rookies Dalton Knecht and Bronny James sported their new NBA jerseys for the first time Tuesday.

Los Angeles Lakers @Lakers
Welcome to the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LakeShow?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LakeShow</a>, Rooks. <a href="https://t.co/tphsKPsYpM">pic.twitter.com/tphsKPsYpM</a>

Bleacher Report @BleacherReport
First look at Bronny in Lakers' threads 🧵 <a href="https://t.co/UJRITf6XrD">pic.twitter.com/UJRITf6XrD</a>

The Lakers drafted Knecht with the No. 17 pick after the 6-foot-6 wing helped lead Tennessee to the Elite Eight this past spring.

James joined the team at No. 55 after recovering from offseason heart surgery to make his college debut with USC last season.

Knecht and James donned their jerseys for the first time after the team introduced the newest Lakers to fans during a Tuesday press conference.

James wore No. 6, a number now retired in the NBA in honor of Bill Russell, for the Trojans at USC.

During the press conference, he discussed wearing No. 9 for the Lakers in honor of the late rapper Juice WRLD, who wore a tattoo of the number 999.

Juice WRLD told MTV News in 2018 the number, an inverted 666, represented "taking whatever hell, whatever bad situation or whatever struggle you're going through and turning it into something positive" (h/t Variety's Thania Garcia.)

Bleacher Report @BleacherReport
Bronny explains why he picked No. 9 to honor Juice WRLD 🙏 <a href="https://t.co/RoCGmO0mPd">pic.twitter.com/RoCGmO0mPd</a>

✨ Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content

Knecht wore No. 3 for the Vols, but had to switch to No. 4 in order not to clash with Lakers star Anthony Davis.

"So why not do Knecht 4?" the former Tennessee star said Tuesday.

CBS Sports @CBSSports
Dalton Knecht on switching to No. 4:<br><br>"[No.] 3, AD got it. So why not do Knecht 4?" <a href="https://t.co/khDGq70g7R">pic.twitter.com/khDGq70g7R</a>

The Los Angeles Times' Dan Woike reported that Knecht and James will wear their new numbers for the first time while making their Lakers debuts during the team's upcoming Summer League games.

Fans can watch the Tennessee standout and son of Lakers star LeBron James get their first NBA action during the California Classic Summer League in Sacramento from July 6-10 and NBA Summer League in Las Vegas from July 12-18.