An intriguing prospect in the 2023 NBA Draft class is Jalen Hood-Schifino. This is because he is generally termed as just a ‘guard’. He has not been designated as a through and through number 1 nor a number 2. The 19-year-old guard who played just one season with the Indiana Hoosiers is now looking to take his craft to the next level.
Hood-Schifino comes from an athletic background as both of his parents were into sports during their college years. Jalen’s father played as a quarterback at Santa Monica College whereas Jalen’s basketball DNA comes from his mother who played the sport briefly at Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania.
In terms of strengths, Jalen brings a high level of basketball IQ. He has a good mid range game and can knock down difficult mid range jump shots effectively. He runs the pick and roll offense very well and shows good ability to come off a screen and pull up for a shot. He can easily find his teammates and thus possesses great passing skills as well. On the defensive end, Jalen is able to take on all types of guards being big and strong. In addition to all these qualities, Hood-Schifino is a mature player even with just his freshman year under his belt. He takes his time and doesn’t rush plays, keeps looking for the opportunity to present itself.
What is Jalen Hood-Schifino's wingspan?
The wingspan for humans is measured as the distance from one end of an individual’s fingertips to the other when the arms are outstretched. In normal cases, the wingspan of a person is roughly equal to that person’s height. In Jalen’s case though, he has a wingspan of 6 feet 10 inches despite his height being 6 feet 6 inches. That means he has a plus-four wingspan which is not that common.
Having a longer wingspan for athletes is considered to be a good attribute. In basketball especially, it helps the player reach farther which plays an important role on both sides of the court. On offense, Hood-Schifino can use his long wingspan to reach higher towards the rim. It can help him shoot his shots over defenders and his longer reach allows him to be effective in passing lanes. Whereas a longer wingspan works well while trying to cut off the opponent's passes, with higher chances of blocks and increased reach to attempt steals. With so many advantages in favor of Jalen, it will be fascinating to see how he uses his physical attributes on his path towards excellence in the NBA
FAQs
A. Jalen Hood-Schifino was born on June 19, 2003. At present, he is only 19 years old and ready to make a mark in the NBA.
A. The intriguing factor about Jalen Hood-Schifino is that he is neither the typical point guard nor the shooting guard. He is just designated as a guard, but he played most of his freshman year at Indiana as a point guard where he excelled to a great extent.
A. Jalen Hood-Schifino is 6 feet 6 inches in height and weighs 215 lbs. He is normal height if he plays as a shooting guard, however, if he plays as a point guard then he is considered to be one of the bigger guards in the league.
