PHILADELPHIA — After being rerouted from the Los Angeles Lakers in the Luka Doncic blockbuster, Jalen Hood-Schifino is trying to prove his NBA merits with the Philadelphia 76ers.
The severely injury-plagued Sixers are the perfect team for a player like the 21-year-old Hood-Schifino to join — and for more reasons than just the abundance of available minutes. On top of being a big fan of Kobe Bryant, and thus having the opportunity to make Bryant’s hometown his next NBA home, Philadelphia is where he got his first taste of big-league action.
Last season, as the 76ers ran the Lakers off the court in a 138-94 win at the Wells Fargo Center, the Indiana product made his NBA debut. The fact that his next opportunity in the league being in the same arena he started his first is not lost on him.
“It’s cool, kind of a full circle moment, [for] me to be able to get back on the court again tonight,” he said after his first shootaround with the 76ers. After a few games in the G League, the Sixers called the former first-round pick up with the hopes that he can bide the team’s time as other players recover and maybe show some potential.
Jalen Hood-Schifino looking to make most of opportunity with 76ers
In 25.3 minutes per game over three contests with the Delaware Blue Coats, Hood-Schifino averaged 27.0 points and 4.0 assists per game while shooting 57.1 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from deep. Those games were the first he had played at all since December 1, his last game with the Lakers. Being away from the court for so long was “definitely tough,” he admitted.
“Obviously, I wasn’t playing for a while, so me being a competitor and wanting to be on the floor, it was definitely tough not being on the court, just having to watch games,” Hood-Schifino said. “But instead of thinking about it from a bad perspective, I just used it to my advantage, to use that time to really work on myself, not just on the court but off the court as well. Getting my body right, watching a lot of film and learning.
“That time off was definitely good for me,” he said, “but I’m excited to be back on the court.”
Injuries hampered Hood-Schifino’s ability to compete for regular playing time on a playoff-contending Lakers squad. They played a factor in the team’s decision to decline his third-year option. His time in LA ended when he was used to clear salary and dumped to the Utah Jazz, who waived him just days after the trade, in the Doncic deal.
Between their 15-man roster and three two-way guys, the 76ers have 12 players on the injury report. Seven of them have already been ruled out. Hood-Schifino is not listed, making him one of just six players that Philly knows will be active in their next game against the Indiana Pacers.
Two of the Sixers’ healthy players are point guards, Jared Butler and Jeff Dowtin Jr. But Hood-Schifino is big enough to play alongside them as a shooting guard. His comfort in the pick-and-roll and steady handle make him capable of running an offense but his improved shooting, especially off the dribble, makes him a bit more versatile.
The degree to which these skills (or any other) pop against NBA competition, of course, remains to be seen. But they would be extremely helpful for the Sixers if they do. Hood-Schifino, working to play in the big league for more than a handful of minutes at a time, wants to show every facet of his game in whatever amount of minutes he gets in Philly.
“This is year two for me and I didn’t get a lot of court time last year [because of] injuries and whatnot, so I’m still kind of a big question mark,” Hood-Schifino said. “A lot of teams and I’m sure a lot of people are still wondering what I can do at this level. So to just be able to be here, have an opportunity to play on the court, [I’m] just looking to be on the court, be myself and continue to get better.”
The post Why former Lakers guard is grateful for ‘full circle moment’ with 76ers appeared first on ClutchPoints.
