12 NCAA Basketball programs that should target Siena transfer Jalen Pickett
The NCAA Basketball transfer portal continues to add talent on a daily basis this offseason. On Thursday, it added one of the best point guards and overall mid-major players in the country from the past few years in Jalen Pickett, a 6’4 playmaker out of Rochester, New York.
Pickett came out strong his freshman season, going for three straight games of at least 20+ points. The Siena guard became the top offensive option within no time, leading the team with a ton of great individual performances. None were greater than his 46-point and 13-assist effort in triple-overtime against Quinnipiac.
In his first season, Pickett averaged 15.8 ppg, 4.6 rpg, and 6.7 apg and was a first-team All-MAAC player. He effectively put up similar numbers as a sophomore but this time was awarded Conference Player of the Year. Pickett was hurt in his junior campaign and between that and team covid issues, played just 14 games and put up 12.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg, and 4.8 apg.
Still, Pickett has established himself as a do-it-all type of guard that can score at an efficient level, while shooting 44% from the field and 36% from three-point range in his three years with Siena. The guard has NBA potential but putting up stats in the MAAC hasn’t elevated his stock high enough to go pro.
Siena guard Jalen Pickett has entered the transfer portal, source told ESPN. Averaged 12.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists. Big-time playmaker.
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) April 8, 2021
So now, Pickett is in the transfer portal and is all but guaranteed to be promoted to the power conference level. With point guards such as Chris Lykes (Arkansas) and Xavier Johnson (Indiana) picking new teams, Pickett rises up to arguably the top ball-handler free agent on the market.
Expect a ton of interest from teams trying to land Pickett in the coming weeks. Here are 12 programs that I have found that could surely use an elite point guard like Pickett.