Jonathan Givony and Adrian Wojnarowski11:00 a.m. Eastern Time3 minute read
Jalen Hood-Schifino sinks clutch 3 for Indiana
Jalen Hood-Schifino buries a big 3-pointer as the shot clock ticks down for Indiana.
“For me, the time is now,” Hood-Schifino told ESPN. “This has been a dream of mine since I was a child.”
Hood-Schifino, the No. 13 prospect in ESPN’s NBA draft projections, was voted the Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Year and second-team All-Big Ten after averaging 13.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists.
“My freshman season was amazing,” said Hood-Schifino, who is 6-foot-5 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan. “My coaches kept their word by having the utmost confidence in me as a freshman. We didn’t win a national championship, but overall the season was successful and experiencing March Madness was a surreal moment.”
the later made the announcement on Instagram.
Although not initially projected as a single, defining player, Hood-Schifino emerged as a potential top-10 draft pick based largely on his productivity and impact on the Hoosiers’ win.
In mid-December, Hood-Schifino was asked to take on an outsized role when the team lost starting point guard Xavier Johnson to a season-ending injury. After a rocky start, Hood-Schifino seized the point guard position and helped catapult Indiana to wins in 11 of its last 15 regular-season games, clinching the third seed in the Big Ten and the No. NCAA tournament.
“NBA teams were able to see that I can take control of a game, create my own shot, lead a team, that I have a high IQ, that I’m strong, and that I have a unique rhythm to my game,” Hood. Schifino said. “I’m looking forward to showing NBA teams that my body measurements match what’s on paper, my athleticism and shooting ability.”
Hood-Schifino fits the NBA prototype as a big lead guard who handles the ball with versatile shooting prowess, playmaking creativity with live dribbling and defensive toughness.
The NBA Combined Draft is scheduled for May 15-21 in Chicago, and the draft will be June 22 in New York.
Jonathan Givony is an NBA draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analysis service used by NBA, NCAA and international teams.
