2023 NBA Draft Live Tracker: Grading every pick made
2023 NBA Draft grade: No. 17 pick Jalen Hood-Schifino, Los Angeles Lakers
Jalen Hood-Schifino. 17. player. 20. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Indiana. G
Grade: C-
The Lakers are on the verge of a potential overhaul in the backcourt with Austin Reaves, D’Angelo Russell, and Dennis Schroder all hitting free agency. It’s not surprising to see them target a guard here with Indiana’s Jalen Hood-Schifino.
That said, this doesn’t feel like the best fit at first glance. LeBron James and Anthony Davis should empower Hood-Schifino as a slasher and secondary creator, but his 3-point consistency tends to waver and he’s not the most advanced playmaker of the guards available in this range.
The upside, however, is undeniable. Hood-Schifino has excellent positional size and length, combined with dynamic handles and unbelievable touch inside the arc that should one day translate to the 3-point line. His defensive upside is very real but he wasn’t very disciplined on that end in college.
From our NBA Draft Big Board:
"A shifty 6-foot-6 guard with feather-soft touch and advanced playmaking instincts, Jalen Hood-Schifino has genuine potential to crack the lottery if the right team latches on. He lacks explosiveness on drives to the rim, but a wide array of floaters and touch shots — combined with his ability to play physically through contact — allow Hood-Schifino to offset those limitations. He’s a tremendous passer with flashes of impressive defense too. If he can get 3s to fall consistently, NBA teams should be banging down his door."