Jalen Pickett 2023 NBA Draft prediction: Where will the Penn State guard land?

The NBA draft is around the corner, and with that comes a plethora of young league prospects who have thrown their proverbial hats in the ring for an opportunity to play in one of the greatest professional leagues in sports. Enter Jalen Pickett.

The 6-foot-4, 210-pound unorthodox guard out of Penn State is slated to go in the second round in this year's NBA draft, but nobody would bet against him going in the first. Pickett is a solid five-year collegiate player, and his unique ability to play at guard and down low makes him a conundrum of sorts in this year's class.

A consistent player through and through, Jalen Pickett enters the NBA draft off the back of a 19-12 season with Penn State, where he effectively did everything for the team. He led the team in scoring, averaging 17.7 points while leading the team in assists, rebounds, and steals (5.8, 5.4, 1.2) on the season. Not a bad resume to enter the draft with.

---

Can Jalen Pickett go in the first round of the NBA draft?

Jalen Pickett led his team in scoring, assists, rebounds, and steals last season

Pickett seems to be most comfortable playing bully ball in the post, and indeed most of his shots are taken close to the rim. This is most certainly not the norm for a guard, but this guy looks like the exception. Even though he can perform underneath the basket, his ability from beyond the arc is nothing to scoff at. Last season he shot 39% from 3-point land from his 3.5 attempts per game.

A player who operates above his size will always have the kind of mentality and energy that others thrive off. It's only natural that Jalen Pickett plays with high effort and energy that the rest of his team feeds off. If he didn't, he wouldn't have gotten to where he is with his size, doing what he's doing in the post. He's certainly a player that would add value in more ways than one.

While his versatility and flexibility are considerable strengths, they can give scouts a headache regarding where a player like this would fit within an NBA franchise. What role would he play on a team with the likes of Damian Lillard or Tyrese Haliburton? Will his upside warrant a first-round pick? These are the questions that will need answering come draft night.