Penn State guard Jalen Pickett has been named a midseason All-American by the Sporting News, making the third team.
More midseason recognition for @JalenPickett7, honored as one of 15 players in the country on the Sporting News Midseason All-America team 👀
🔗: https://t.co/spcQu2zbNw#WeAre pic.twitter.com/INcHABHPWU
— Penn State Men’s Basketball (@PennStateMBB) January 20, 2023
Pickett is one of just 15 players to be recognized by the Sporting News and one of three from the Big Ten. Purdue’s 7-foot-4 center Zach Edey is on the first team, and Iowa forward Kris Murray is on the third team with Pickett.
Pickett is, far and away, the heartbeat of Penn State men’s basketball.
He leads the team in scoring, averaging more than 17 points per game. He leads the Big Ten in assists, averaging more than seven, and also leads Penn State and ranks ninth in the conference in rebounding (7.7). Pickett is a star and arguably the main reason why Penn State (12-6, 3-4 Big Ten) is in the thick of the NCAA Tournament picture. Since transferring to Penn State after three seasons at Siena, Pickett has blossomed. Last season, Pickett averaged 13.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists.
He’s blowing those numbers out of the water this year and having one of the best seasons in Penn State history. Pickett is on track to break the school’s single-season assists record. Tim Frazier currently has the top mark with 198 in the 2011-12 season. Pickett has 131 with 13 games to go, meaning he’ll have to average less than five per game the rest of the way to get the record. Since Pickett averages more than seven, it seems like a good bet that he’ll get there barring any unforeseen circumstances.
Pickett is also only 130 points away from 2,000 for his career. To reach 2K, Pickett will need to average 10 points per game, again well-below his season average. Pickett is one of only three current Division I players for have more than 1,800 points, 500 rebounds (644) and 500 assists (729.)
He’s also one of just two active players to have more than 1,000 points and 700 assists.
