While you can, don't miss the Jalen Hood-Schifino show before it's gone
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Playing for a program that is historically unabashed to boast accomplishments and acclaim, Jalen Hood-Schifino is anything but. At least, not vocally.
He’s generally to himself, a silent assassin who would rather let his play speak for who he is. Usually the first player on the court more than two hours before tip, he’s careful about his craft. Finishes around the rim to mid-range jumpers left and then mid-range jumpers right. Spot-up threes, then smooth off-dribble pull-ups.
His routine is intentionally professional, and it translates to his in-game movement. He lives in certain areas on the court that are proficient to his game, and he trains like it too.
He wears No. 1, a number that’s typically associated with star guard play in basketball lore. He’s set a standard for himself to be great, not concerning himself with any other possible outcome. In an age where college athletes are able to brand themselves better than ever before, “F1NO” knows that “Failure Is No Option.” Hood-Schifino’s marketability doesn’t stem from who he is out in the open, but rather his efforts when the bright lights are on.
When you don the candy stripes and play guard for Indiana, they always are. Thanks to his work behind closed doors, rarely are those lights ever too bright.
Think of all the impressive guards that have come before him. Hulls, Ferrell, Cheaney, and Alford. Buckner, Thomas, Bailey, and his head coach Mike Woodson. These guys – and countless others – showed a tendency to make big plays when their teams need it most.
Of course, when factoring in program icons, Hood-Schifino likely checks in as a mere footnote in the grand scheme of things. In all fairness, comparing a kid 18 games into his career to a cohort of players who became Indiana legends by spending all four years on campus isn’t really apples to apples. I’m not here to do that anyways.
Hood-Schifino is certainly talented to the likes of the aforementioned greats, but he likely isn’t chasing that type of recognition. In reality, he very likely could be sporting an NBA jersey as soon as next season.
It’s time for Indiana fans to really appreciate what the Hoosiers have in Hood-Schifino before he’s gone.
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A quick glimpse at his game makes it easy to understand why scouts love the file on Hood-Schifino. A 6-foot-6, 213-pound combo guard with the ability to score at all three levels, his trajectory shows promise to translating to the NBA game.
That’s not to mention he’s young, open to development and possesses the work ethic to transform his game to the next level. Preliminarily, Hood-Schifino checks a hoard of boxes that project guys like him to hear their name called in Brooklyn during the summer.
It's his in-season strides, however, that have begun to establish Hood-Schifino as one of the premier freshman guards in the country. His shot-making has propelled Indiana in times when they’ve needed a spark, and he’s not only capable, but comfortable with taking over a game.
Think back to his breakout performance against North Carolina or his incredible 20-point first half versus Ohio State. As he’s matured in the Indiana offense and become more comfortable, his impact has become more measurable.
It’s incredibly efficient, too. Hood-Schifino is averaging 12.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists on 44% shooting and 43% from deep across 18 games. Remarkably, he’s playing even better against the Big Ten, where he’s averaging 15.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists on 46% shooting from the field, 47% from behind the arc. He gets to his spots and once he’s in a groove, it feels like a forgone conclusion that the net will rip as he rises and fires.
He’s evolved as a ball-handler, evident by the production he’s been able to maintain while in the lead-guard role due to Xavier Johnson’s absence. He’s developed great chemistry with Indiana’s frontcourt options in the pick and roll and is growing as a decision maker. When aggressive in his choices, he can get downhill quickly and put himself in a position to make the defense pay for how they defend him.
It also helps his case that he’s guided by Woodson’s NBA-level expertise. Upon asking, Woodson raves about how he isn’t the typical freshman guard, one of the qualities about Hood-Schifino that originally drew Woodson to the Montverde Academy product. He does all the things that help teams win, Woodson says, and he’s a great person off the court as well as on. He accepts challenges and welcomes coaching.
In Woodson’s own words, “He’s professional about his approach. When he steps on the floor, he's serious about it.”
Thinking back, I can’t recall many freshmen who have had the sizeable impact that Hood-Schifino has in such a short time. Guys like Romeo Langford and OG Anunoby come to mind as they left school early for the pros, but injuries derailed both of their short IU careers before it could really get going.
To remain mostly healthy and be as productive as he’s been while winning, Hood-Schifino is building quite an incredible one-year resume.
Sure, there have been some question marks. His most pressing need for improvement is in his defending, an area that he’s received valid criticism in. However, as Indiana has started to come around and play better basketball as a team, factors like better team defense are a playing a key role. Hood-Schifino is a big part of those efforts.
His playmaking has been suspect at times and his shot selection isn’t always the smartest, but those are elements of his game that come with more repetition and comfort. He’s shown the work ethic to make it better, so there’s no reason to believe he couldn’t improve in those areas either.
He’s not exactly the most polished product of all-time, but the process is there. As the season nears closer to the climax and his production increases, it’s evident he’s an important part of nearly every Indiana win that’s accumulated. I’m not exactly suggesting that his efforts aren’t appreciated, and it may be wrong to offer that he’s undervalued in his role.
It’s just like mom’s cooking when you first move to college. You know you can live without it, but you miss the convenience of being able to come home to a home-cooked meal at the end of a long day and just enjoy it, not having to spend more time preparing and cleaning up afterwards than you do enjoying the meal.
There will be more Hood-Schifino’s to come through Indiana and the program will go on without him some day when he advances to the next level. But as he continues to answer more questions that scouts had about his play and he continues to further develop his game, that jump could be taken at the first opportunity to do so.
Savor every bite of mom’s cooking. Don’t miss the JHS show before it leaves town.
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