UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- Transferring in college can bring exciting new opportunities and challenges for any college student, and those chances can mean even more when that student is a Division I basketball player competing at a high level.
Coming into Penn State as one of those transfer students, Jalen Pickett has an experience like few other players. Pickett, a senior guard, transferred from Siena, where he was named the 2019-20 MAAC Player of the Year as a sophomore and was a three-time first-team All-MAAC selection in his three years at the school.
In 2019, Pickett declared for the NBA Draft, but later returned to Siena for two more seasons. Now, he is one of the newest members of the Penn State men's basketball team looking to make his mark in Happy Valley and the Big Ten.
For Pickett, the journey to Siena, a declaration for the NBA draft and eventually Penn State was a long one.
Pickett's journey in basketball began at a fairly young age through watching his older brother play the sport. He first got involved playing basketball at the local Boys & Girls Club in Rochester, New York.
"Growing up I just wanted to play like my older brother," he said. "My family has always been very supportive and pushed me to the next level. In high school, it was my goal to break every record my brother set."
Pickett made an impact right from the start of his time at Siena, earning 2018-19 MAAC Rookie of the Year honors. He went on to earn the league's Player of the Year award a year later, while averaging 15.0 points and 6.1 assists per game through his three seasons with the Saints. The guard needed just 65 games to reach the 1,000-point mark and comes to Happy Valley with 1,139 career points and 60 career double-digit scoring games.
Fast forward and Penn State's head coach Micah Shrewsberry is excited to see what Pickett can do in Happy Valley, stating Pickett is "something special."
"I think that Jalen is a versatile player that we will use in a lot of different ways," Shrewsberry said at a recent press conference. "His vision as a playmaker is something that stood out to me when I was trying to recruit him because of the assist numbers that he had throughout his career, along with how well he shoots."
Pickett attributes a majority of his skills through his playing experiences. In the 2019 draft process he had the opportunity to play with several professionals.
"I was able to play against some great basketball players and learn the different types of styles that are played in the NBA," Pickett said. "It gave me a better understanding of what coach Shrewsberry is expecting as he is coming from the professional league."
Pickett was one of the most highly sought-after transfers when he decided to enter his name into the transfer portal in the spring of 2021. What drew Pickett to attend Penn State was the team's level of playing, along with its coaching staff.
"I wanted to play at the highest level I could," Pickett said. "As a kid, I wanted to play in those big-time television games. I now have the opportunity to do so at Penn State. So far my transition into the university has been great. The facilities, teammates and coaches made it very easy for me to transition here and provide me with continuous support."
With tip off of the 2021-22 season just under a month away, Pickett is looking forward to working with the team and proving what all the players can accomplish together.
"All of us players know what it takes to be successful even though we're all coming from different areas and schools. We all have different stories, but the great thing about this team is we know what it takes to win. We want to prove that we can take the team far this year."
Shrewsberry echoed Pickett's aspirations in his press conference on Oct 5, 2021. He wants the team to continue to put work in and show up each day to practice.
"Like any team there are good and bad days, but the best thing about this team is each and every day they come out and compete. They have shown me what they can do in different situations and continue to attack each day with the energy they bring."
If Pickett can continue to succeed like he has in the past, there is no doubt he will be a big part of that success.
