Jalen Pickett's Playing Style

[Lion_Backer]

He reminds me of a combination of throwback "ballers" from years gone by.

I see a little AD, Adrian Dantley, with his post up play. I see a little BLT, Butch Lee Time, the way he can take over a game and diagnose and break down his opposition.

I even see a little Larry Bird/Magic Johnson in his abilities to hit the outside shot and effectively distribute the basketball.

The way he effectively overdribbles and thumps the ball is a style that was prevalent in playgrounds when I was growing up. But I don't recall his style of play being so effective at a major college program in a long time.

It seems crazy to compare him with some of those all time greats. But he is a 2nd Team All American!

 

[Monty2007]

Never really thought about it but I think your dead on with the AD comparison.

 

[Obliviax]

Cav's Lemar Stevens (PSU alum) tweeted out that PSU has three NBA potential players.

Pickett is good sized at 6-4. Not a quick as one would like, like Dantly, but not bad either. What he is is very strong for a guard. He's thick. that allows him to play the low post. Dantly was undersized but had an unstoppable fall away jumper. He also kicked his foot out, which is no longer legal but I digress.

Watching him, he reminded me of Lemar Stevens' all-star teammate Donovan "spida" Mitchell. while he's 6-1 he has a 6-4 person's wing span (6-10). He often posts up and dishes. Spida has all the tools: Good 3 (38% from NBA land), good moves, and strong to the basket. He's unselfish but has gone off for 71 points in a single game. He's a good defender because he is stong and hard to knock off his spot. While Spida is quicker, Jalen has better size. Spida is a better shooter while jalen is a better passer.

But what I find similar is their body types and ability to create in the paint.

 

[Lion_Backer]

Cav's Lemar Stevens (PSU alum) tweeted out that PSU has three NBA potential players.

Pickett is good sized at 6-4. Not a quick as one would like, like Dantly, but not bad either. What he is is very strong for a guard. He's thick. that allows him to play the low post. Dantly was undersized but had an unstoppable fall away jumper. He also kicked his foot out, which is no longer legal but I digress.

Watching him, he reminded me of Lemar Stevens' all-star teammate Donovan "spida" Mitchell. while he's 6-1 he has a 6-4 person's wing span (6-10). He often posts up and dishes. Spida has all the tools: Good 3 (38% from NBA land), good moves, and strong to the basket. He's unselfish but has gone off for 71 points in a single game. He's a good defender because he is stong and hard to knock off his spot. While Spida is quicker, Jalen has better size. Spida is a better shooter while jalen is a better passer.

But what I find similar is their body types and ability to create in the paint.

I think that Pickett is actually quicker than he is fast. He has a herky-jerky style that seems to help neutralize taller, longer and more athletic defenders.

Kind of like when Tom Brady consistently converted QB sneaks in short yardage situations despite being weak and slow of foot, relatively speaking.

I don't really follow the NBA these days too often, but watching your attached video, I do see some style similarities.

I'm greatly enjoying watching him play and advancing through the tournament.

Although I'm not interested in seeing it any time soon, I'm curious to see how he changes and modifies his game when surrounded by more multi-dimensional players.

He wears a lot of hats for PSU. And he wears them very well!

 

[LandoComando]

I hope I'm wrong but I'm not sure his playing style at his size translates to the NBA game. I don't see the Mitchell comparison honestly. Funk and Lundy are better bets for the NBA because of their ability to shoot. I don't see how Pickett's style fits though the NBA is awful so that's not really an attack on him but the NBA itself. Again hope I'm wrong.

 

[Obliviax]

I think that Pickett is actually quicker than he is fast. He has a herky-jerky style that seems to help neutralize taller, longer and more athletic defenders.

Kind of like when Tom Brady consistently converted QB sneaks in short yardage situations despite being weak and slow of foot, relatively speaking.

I don't really follow the NBA these days too often, but watching your attached video, I do see some style similarities.

I'm greatly enjoying watching him play and advancing through the tournament.

Although I'm not interested in seeing it any time soon, I'm curious to see how he changes and modifies his game when surrounded by more multi-dimensional players.

He wears a lot of hats for PSU. And he wears them very well!

Agreed. Go get some video of Donovan Mitchell.

 

[RickinDayton]

He reminds me of a combination of throwback "ballers" from years gone by.

I see a little AD, Adrian Dantley, with his post up play. I see a little BLT, Butch Lee Time, the way he can take over a game and diagnose and break down his opposition.

I even see a little Larry Bird/Magic Johnson in his abilities to hit the outside shot and effectively distribute the basketball.

The way he effectively overdribbles and thumps the ball is a style that was prevalent in playgrounds when I was growing up. But I don't recall his style of play being so effective at a major college program in a long time.

It seems crazy to compare him with some of those all time greats. But he is a 2nd Team All American!

The question is: how does his style translate to the NBA which is much more up tempo? It will all be about the right fit of offense for an NBA career. I think he'll make it in the league, not as a star, but I can see a good career as a real contributer (6th/7th man in a rotation).

 

[LandoComando]

The question is: how does his style translate to the NBA which is much more up tempo? It will all be about the right fit of offense for an NBA career. I think he'll make it in the league, not as a star, but I can see a good career as a real contributer (6th/7th man in a rotation).

The problem is Pickett needs the ball in his hands to be successful and in the NBA he's going to have to completely change his game. He's going to have to greatly improve his outside shooting. I think Pickett will have a pro career. Just might not be in the NBA. Whereas Funk might have an 8-10 year career.

 

[PSUWrestlingFanSince2011]

Booty ball they call it

 

[Obliviax]

The question is: how does his style translate to the NBA which is much more up tempo? It will all be about the right fit of offense for an NBA career. I think he'll make it in the league, not as a star, but I can see a good career as a real contributer (6th/7th man in a rotation).

IMHO

• he won't be able to post up as effectively as all NBA players have a big-man rim protector. They are like Purdue, who has the best rim protector in the NCAA this year.
• so his low post game will have to move out to the mid or high post. He'll have to perfect that turnaround, fade-away jumper from there.
• While he is not a quick as you would like in the NBA, he has a great NBA body. He is 6-4 and over 200 lbs. Good height but really good strength for the position.
• He'll be good in the paint and appears to have a decent 3 point shot but his 3 will have to get better as a) he'll play against better defenders and b) the arc is further away in the NBA
• I think he is going to have to work on getting open with a jab-step fade-away that guys like Donovan Mitchell have developed. This has to be ~35% from 3 and 50% inside the 3 to be effective. Steph Curry does this but you can't expect anyone to be as good as he is.

the wild card, to me, is Pickett's great decision making on knowing who is doubling him and hitting the open guy. Can he "create" in the NBA like he does in college (forcing the double team)? He has a great body but can he is he quick enough and can he develop that deadly shot?

 

[bdgan]

He reminds me of a combination of throwback "ballers" from years gone by.

I see a little AD, Adrian Dantley, with his post up play. I see a little BLT, Butch Lee Time, the way he can take over a game and diagnose and break down his opposition.

I even see a little Larry Bird/Magic Johnson in his abilities to hit the outside shot and effectively distribute the basketball.

The way he effectively overdribbles and thumps the ball is a style that was prevalent in playgrounds when I was growing up. But I don't recall his style of play being so effective at a major college program in a long time.

It seems crazy to compare him with some of those all time greats. But he is a 2nd Team All American!

I love Pickett but I don't see the comparison to Bird or Magic. Those guys could back people down but they excelled in the open court.

I wonder if Pickett can succeed in the NBA. He won't be able to back people down in the NBA like he does in college.

 

[Obliviax]

I love Pickett but I don't see the comparison to Bird or Magic. Those guys could back people down but they excelled in the open court.

I wonder if Pickett can succeed in the NBA. He won't be able to back people down in the NBA like he does in college.

they were also 6-9

 

[Lion_Backer]

I love Pickett but I don't see the comparison to Bird or Magic. Those guys could back people down but they excelled in the open court.

I wonder if Pickett can succeed in the NBA. He won't be able to back people down in the NBA like he does in college.

The comparison with Bird and Magic has more to do with his ability to use his skill set to raise the level of play of his teammates by identifying their strong suit and utilize it to the best advantage of the team.

Punishing your opponent by trying to take away what you do by getting the ball to your teammates in a position where they can make a play and be successful.

Admittedly his passing and outside shooting are not at the level of 2 of the all time greats. But he is effective precisely because he is a cerebral player with a diverse skill set.

Early in the A&M game, they matched up a defender against Pickett who was taller, longer quicker and more athletic. Yet it did not matter. He broke him down and was able to score and draw fouls. As well as draw defenders towards himself and identify the vulnerability of the defense.

Having a 3 point barrage by Funk, Lundy , et al surely also contributed to his and the team's success.

College basketball today is much more plug and play vs the recruiting, team building and familiarity among teammates of yesteryear.

 

[lionsnphils]

So my retirement job is teaching at a prison -not in PA. Today I wore a PSU polo and an inmate started talking to me about how awesome Jalen Pickett. Told him I saw him play a couple of times. He thought it was pretty cool

 

[Ian]

He has been groomed by the Shrew who groomed the kid from Butler, who busted up his leg in the NBA, and also worked hard with Smart, Brown, and I believe Tatum with the Celtics. He knows how to teach BB and to teach kids. Smart was about as rough a baller as there was coming out of Okie State. Those three guys are pretty good right now.

 

[RickinDayton]

The problem is Pickett needs the ball in his hands to be successful and in the NBA he's going to have to completely change his game. He's going to have to greatly improve his outside shooting. I think Pickett will have a pro career. Just might not be in the NBA. Whereas Funk might have an 8-10 year career.

Pickett could end up in the highest level European league if he doesn't make an NBA roster. However, I think Pickett has such a good all-around game that many teams could use him. My concern with Funk is he is mostly a spot up shooter with great range, however he needs screening to get those looks. He hasn't shown he has the ability to create his own shots.

 

[LandoComando]

Pickett could end up in the highest level European league if he doesn't make an NBA roster. However, I think Pickett has such a good all-around game that many teams could use him. My concern with Funk is he is mostly a spot up shooter with great range, however he needs screening to get those looks. He hasn't shown he has the ability to create his own shots.

Agreed but a lot of teams look for guys like that in this era

 

[PaoliLion]

He reminds me of a combination of throwback "ballers" from years gone by.

I see a little AD, Adrian Dantley, with his post up play. I see a little BLT, Butch Lee Time, the way he can take over a game and diagnose and break down his opposition.

I even see a little Larry Bird/Magic Johnson in his abilities to hit the outside shot and effectively distribute the basketball.

The way he effectively overdribbles and thumps the ball is a style that was prevalent in playgrounds when I was growing up. But I don't recall his style of play being so effective at a major college program in a long time.

It seems crazy to compare him with some of those all time greats. But he is a 2nd Team All American!

Basketball is a funny sport - the players like to emulate what looks good for the news reels, but not what’s effective. They say underhand free throw shooting is more effective than overhand. NBA players used to minimally practice free throws because it was against the norm. Everyone played like Mike Jordan for years, but now it’s Steph Curry.

Pickett is simply doing what it takes to score rather than trying to play like “you’re supposed to”. What we know is that a 6’ 4” guard can back in and get a lay-up if he’s patient and his coach will allow him.