Hoops: Transfer guard Jalen Pickett explains Penn State commitment
Siena transfer guard Jalen Pickett announced his intent to transfer to Penn State on Sunday, becoming the second guard to do so in the last three days after Jaheam Cornwall's commitment on Friday.
Pickett is a 6-foot-4 guard who averaged 12.9 points per game, 6.3 rebounds per game and 4.8 assists per game for the Saints last season in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.
"I think I'm a very good playmaker," he told BWI. "I think that's one of my biggest attributes. Being able to make plays for others, get others involved as well as playing the pick-and-roll and shooting the ball."
Pickett, who has two seasons of eligibility remaining, said Penn State was never really on his radar until he entered the transfer portal earlier this spring.
But Pickett struck up a good relationship with new Penn State head coach Micah Shrewsberry, who was persistent in his recruitment efforts.
Pickett bought into Shrewsberry's idea for how he wants Penn State to play, which Pickett said his based on playing with pace and involving Pickett in ball screen concepts. Pickett said Shrewsberry generally wants to give Pickett the opportunity to make plays and attack the rim.
"He was on me every day," Pickett said. "Him an [assistant coach Adam] Fisher did a great job when we were talking and explaining what they wanted to do with our team and how they wanted to change the program around."
Pickett was the MAAC player of the season in 2019-20, and was just the second sophomore ever to win that award. That season, he shot 46 percent from the field and averaged 15.1 points, 6 assists and 4.6 rebounds. He finished that season tied for seventh nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio.
The season before, he was unanimously voted the MAAC Rookie of the Year, averaging 15.8 points and 6.7 assists per game.
Pickett has also proven to be an effective defender. He's averaged around a block per game in every season so far, and has 108 steals to his name in his career as well.
The additions of Pickett and Cornwall will provide important reinforcement for the Nittany Lions at the guard position, where Penn State lacks depth following the departures of Myreon Jones, Jamari Wheeler and Izaiah Brockington.
Another factor in Pickett's choice, he said, was the opportunity to join up with some talented players like Seth Lundy and John Harrar, who just announced earlier this week that he intends to play his final season with the Nittany Lions after previously entering the transfer portal.
But, for Pickett, the main attraction was Shrewsberry.
"He's a really good guy," Pickett said. "It's his first job and he's really excited about being a coach and helping me become a better point guard. He's worked with great guards all throughout his career, so hopefully I'm the next one."
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