A rarity for the Los Angeles Lakers during the LeBron James era have been first-round picks due to the team trying to contend and win championships.
L.A. gave up three first-round draft picks when acquiring Anthony Davis in 2019, but held the No. 17 in the 2023 NBA Draft and decided to make a selection when it was rumored that the front office was going to trade away the pick. The purple and gold selected Jalen Hood-Schifino out of Indiana, who will be a long-term project.
However, the rookie was sidelined due to a right patella contusion that he sustained in the preseason. He has healed from the injury and made his debut last week against the Philadelphia 76ers. Hood-Schifino reflected on what he learned during the time he was out, as seen on Spectrum SportsNet:
“A lot, honestly. Of course you don’t want to go down with an injury but for me I was just all eyes, all ears. I was able to watch everyone from their routine, watching a lot of film. Obviously seeing a lot of games from the sidelines. So just picking up on everything, just the speed of the game, how the coaches want us to play, learning my teammates better. Pretty much everything really.”
It must’ve been a challenging time for the guard as he had to take time away from the game that he loves. But, as a rookie is important to be a sponge and learn as much as possible, especially on a team that features James, Davis and other veterans.
It was good to see that he was making that adjustment and being a proactive learner during his time on the sideline, which will bode well for transferring his game to the NBA level. The process will be slow and evolving as he is still 20-years-old, but details like this are encouraging.
Hood-Schifino appeared in three games on the recent road trip, averaging 4.3 points in 13.7 minutes as head coach Darvin Ham clearly wanted to see what he had in the rookie given how shorthanded the team was. Hood-Schifino’s minutes may be low and inconsistent, but it’ll be interesting to see how he develops the more time he spends on the court.
Hood-Schifino discusses how he felt in NBA debut
Despite it being a long process working his way back to game shape, Hood-Schifino finally made his long-awaited debut. After Monday’s game, the rookie discussed how he felt stepping out on the court.
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