Who is Jalen Hood-Schifino? How is the freshman faring with Indiana Hoosiers? All you need to know

Jalen Hood-Schifino entered the 2022-23 NCAA season as a potential top 20 selection in the 2023 NBA draft. After a slow start to the year, Hood-Schifino has started to heat up.

The 16th-ranked Indiana Hoosiers (10-3) have been one of the country's top teams throughout the NCAA season.

Jalen Hood-Schifino, a 6-foot-5 freshman guard, was the 26th-ranked player according to ESPN's high school basketball rankings. After an injury to veteran guard Xavier Johnson, the Hoosiers needed someone to step up. That's just what Hood-Schifino has done.

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Indiana Hoosiers freshman Jalen Hood-Schifino starting to heat up

Indiana Hoosiers freshman guard Jalen Hood-Schifino

In his first six games of the season, Jalen Hood-Schifino showcased some impressive flashes for the Indiana Hoosiers.

Despite those flashes, NBA scouts wanted to see some more consistency from the talented guard. During that stretch, Hood-Schifino was averaging 7.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.

In his last four outings, the talented freshman has started to look like a completely different player. In that stretch, Jalen Hood-Schifino has averaged 15.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.0 apg and 1.5 steals per game. He's also shooting 51.2%, including 53.8% from 3-point range. Hood-Schifino stands out on the court with his smooth feel for the game and versatility.

His impact on a nightly basis can go well beyond the box score. A smart player with a high basketball IQ, Hood-Schifino knows how to make the defense play to his speed. It's a unique skill, especially for a 19-year-old freshman guard. With the Hoosiers needing someone to step up in Johnson's absence, Hood-Schifino has answered the call.

The biggest question moving forward will be whether Hood-Schifino can keep up this impressive play. With Big Ten play restarting next week, NBA scouts will be watching closely. Indiana's next game will be a crucial one, especially for Hood-Schifino to showcase his talent.

The Hoosiers (1-1 in Big Ten) will take on the Iowa Hawkeyes (8-4, 0-1) on Thursday, Jan. 5. They will then host Northwestern (9-2, 1-0) on Jan. 8 as the Hoosiers look to take care of business in conference play. Including Indiana, the Big Ten has three ranked teams. Purdue (12-0, 2-0) is ranked No. 1, while Wisconsin (9-2, 2-0) is ranked 15th.

For Hood-Schifino, the recent stretch of outings has been a promising development. If he can continue to build off of this, it's only a matter of time before his name heats up in NBA draft circles.