Lakers' Jalen Hood-Schifino Poised for Breakout amid Hype Entering NBA Training Camp

Jalen Hood-Schifino, the No. 17 pick of the 2023 NBA draft, had a forgettable rookie season for the Los Angeles Lakers.

It comes as little surprise, then, that he seems to be holding some forgotten-man status in Laker Land entering his sophomore campaign.

Regardless of what fans thought of the initial selection, excitement clearly wore off over the course of his quiet, injury-impacted debut. He made just 21 appearances at the big-league level and logged only 109 minutes over all of them. That's very little time to leave an impression, but the takeaways weren't great, as he shot just 22.2 percent from the field (13.3 percent from three) and tallied more turnovers (nine) than assists (eight).

Save for perhaps his immediate family members and representation, Hood-Schifino hasn't been on the top of mind for anyone. He has, though, apparently managed to catch the attention of at least one of his teammates with a strong showing at training camp.

"Jalen [Hood-Schifino] has been great," Lakers forward Rui Hachimura told reporters. "I can see he's been putting a lot of work in his body. He got way stronger. I can see that he's just, you know, more confident. ... I think he looks strong and healthy; I like it."

Now, Hood-Schifino of course needs more than a solid camp to change the perception around him, but a breakout season has to start somewhere, so maybe he's laying the foundation.

If folks don't remember the scouting report on him, it was an interesting one. B/R's Jonathan Wasserman likened Hood-Schifino to NBA veteran Spencer Dinwiddie, who finished last season with the Purple and Gold. Wasserman wrote that Hood-Schifino "intrigued scouts with 6'6" size for a lead ball-handler, a dangerous pull-up game and flashy passing."

As with any young player, there are areas he needs to polish.

He wasn't the most efficient shooter or finisher during his one-and-done season at Indiana, where he compiled a 41.7/33.3/77.6 shooting slash. He did, however, fare much better in the G League last season, converting 47.3 percent of his field goals and 43.2 percent of his long-range looks over 15 outings.

If he's added strength now, that could be a boon to his finishing. And one would assume he spent a not insignificant portion of his offseason working on his outside shot. Beyond the perennial need to maximize spacing around LeBron James and Anthony Davis, new skipper JJ Redick has stressed the importance for this team to improve its perimeter attack.

If Hood-Schifino can be counted on to convert scoring chances, he might have a pathway to rotation minutes.

The Lakers aren't in bad shape in the backcourt, but they aren't overloaded with talent there, either. D'Angelo Russell never strays far from the trade rumor mill. Austin Reaves has yet to author a true breakout campaign. Max Christie is largely unproven at this level. Gabe Vincent basically had his 2023-24 season erased by injuries. Dalton Knecht and Bronny James are incoming rookies, so who knows how much floor time they'll receive.

There are obstacles in front of Hood-Schifino, but you wouldn't call them completely insurmountable.

At his best, he's a two-way playmaker, and the Lakers aren't exactly littered with those types. There's a world in which he's potentially running some pick-and-rolls with James or Davis, or at least helping to pilot the offense when the stars are sitting.

It might be more likely than not that Hood-Schifino finds himself outside of the rotation to begin with, but if he's going to crack it, this is how his redemption arc would start.

So, while you're compiling reasons to get excited about this season's Lakers, don't neglect the idea of a big jump from Hood-Schifino.