NBA Draft IntelRising: Jalen Hood-Schifino (Indiana, PG/SG, Freshman)Scouts were already growing more confident in Indiana guard Jalen Hood-Schifino before his 35-point game against Purdue on Saturday. He might have done enough to earn consideration from lottery teams, though with Indiana expected to land top-five seed in the NCAA tournament, he should have more opportunities to strengthen his case even further.
Preseason questions about his athletic limitations are fading fast. With 6'6" size for a ball-handler, Hood-Schifino effectively uses hesitations and change of speed to gain steps on defenders and keep them in jail. His pacing in pick-and-roll situations always stands out. Hood-Schifino has command of the play in ball-screen situations, showing patience and recognition for when/where to pass or pull up.
That mid-range pull-up is his signature shot right now, with the freshman making 43.3 percent of his two-point jumpers and 41.7 percent of his off-the-dribble jumpers. He effectively gets to his spots, squares his feet off the dribble and rises with stability and balance. Though analytics might not approve of that shot selection, he excels at making those looks inside the arc, and it's an area on an NBA floor where he should continue to have the space to elevate into his dangerous shot.
Hood-Schifino takes only 3.4 threes per game, but a confident stroke (36.4 percent 3PT), 76.9 percent free-throw mark and the occasional outburst (six made threes vs. Ohio State, five vs. Northwestern and five vs. Iowa) point to an eventual three-level shot-making threat.
While his vertical pop for finishing isn't ideal and a 53.8 percent conversion rate at the rim isn't great, Hood-Schifino has pulled off some high-difficulty layups and adjustments. It wouldn't be surprising if he shot better around the basket with more space in the NBA.
Scouts do worry about his turnovers, as he's prone to making careless passes. His defense hasn't been the most convincing, either. But scouts also sound willing to put more stock into his clever setups and physical tools.
Between his positional size, scoring craftiness and exciting flash, there will be plenty of first-round interest in Hood-Schifino, especially if he's able to propel Indiana on a postseason run.
