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Dalton Knecht’s legacy with the Los Angeles Lakers is already becoming a distant memory.
Two days after Knecht was released by the team, his former teammate Matisse Thybulle has taken full advantage of his departure.
As the Lakers are set to play in their season opener against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night, Thybulle will be wearing Knecht’s No.4 jersey on the court.
When Thybulle originally signed with the team over the summer, he was wearing No. 26 and said he did it because of the past jersey numbers he wore. No. 22 and No. 4
“That adds up to 26,” Thybulle said with a laugh.
No. 22 was the first number Thybulle wore when he joined the Philadelphia 76ers as a rookie in 2019.
In 2023, he was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers and wore No. 4 up until last season.
The No. 4 has been synonymous with Thybulle since he was in high school, as he wore the number at Eastside Catholic School, located in Sammamish, Washington.
In 2015, the school retired his jersey number, which he called a “full-circle moment of my basketball journey.”
After high school, Thybulle played four seasons at the University of Washington and wore No. 4 all four years.
According to his college player profile, four is his favorite number, and he’s been wearing it since he was in fourth grade. It’s also the same calendar date as his birthday, March 4th. and it was also his Mom’s favorite number.
While Thybulle will be back playing in his favorite number, Wednesday night will be the first time he’s done it in a Lakers uniform.
Thybulle will see time in the Lakers’ secondary rotation as Cameron Carr is out due to a right oblique strain, as well as second-year forward Adou Thiero (left knee effusion).
During the preseason, he appeared in four games and scored 20 points, while playing an average of 20 minutes per game.