Lakers 2023 NBA Draft: Where Lakers 1st Round Pick Jalen Hood-Schifino Fits In LA
Despite speculation that they might look to move their first round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, the Lakers stayed put and selected Jalen Hood-Schifino with the No. 17 overall selection.
Hood-Schifino established himself as a quality playmaker and that will help the guard from Indiana fit well with the Lakers and the talent that should be around him on the second unit.
The freshman guard is advanced in the pick and roll game as well, and given how much the Lakers have emphasized that with head coach Darvin Ham, Schifino should be able to step in relatively smoothly as he begins his NBA career.
Offensively, he has a very good mid range shot and that's an element that the Lakers could improve in looking at last season's roster.
While he's not a consistent deep threat, he's shown flashes of a three ball at times and he could develop into a reliable shooter from range.
One of the better areas of Hood-Schifino's game is his defense. At 6'6," 215 pounds, he's a strong guard that defends well, particularly against the pick and roll and his ability to get around screens quickly will prove to be an even more valuable asset once he gets to the league.
That's the area that the Lakers should be most excited about, as D'Angelo Russell had some off games down the stretch defensively.
Depending on what the Lakers decide to do in free agency, I don't see Schifino getting too much playing time in his rookie season, although his skills on both ends of the pick and roll will help him out when he gets his opportunities.
Overall though, he's definitely a solid developmental prospect with a solid foundation. The key for him in the Lakers offense is whether or not he's able to improve his three point game.
He shot 33 percent from deep in his one season at Indiana, but if he can improve that over the next couple of years, he could be a valuable addition to Los Angeles.
