Former Penn State men’s basketball stars Jalen Pickett and Seth Lundy are taking the next step in their basketball careers.
The two Nittany Lions have been invited to the 2023 NBA Draft Combine. Pickett’s invite was first announced by his former coach, Aki Collins, while Lundy’s was reported by DraftExpress’ Jon Chepkevich. Both players confirmed the news by retweeting it on their Twitter accounts.
Both Lundy and Pickett were crucial pieces to the Nittany Lions’ run to the NCAA Tournament this past season. Pickett averaged 17.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game this season, while Lundy put up 14.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Pickett shot 51% from the field, while Lundy nailed 40% of his three-point shots.
The two cornerstones were named to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team following Penn State’s journey all the way to the conference finals that ended with a 67-65 loss to Purdue. Pickett and Lundy each averaged over 16 points per game throughout the conference tournament.
Pickett spent his final two collegiate seasons at Penn State after playing his first three seasons of college ball at Siena. The New York native immediately emerged as a difference-maker for Micah Shrewsberry’s squad and averaged 15.7 points per game across 68 games in his two-year career in Happy Valley.
Lundy, on the other hand, spent his entire college career with the Nittany Lions. The program staple saw his points and rebounds per game averages increase each of his four seasons with Penn State while also maintaining his defensive tenacity. Lundy averaged 10.5 points and 4.6 rebounds per game in 122 career games with the Nittany Lions.
Pickett and Lundy are both projected as potential second-round picks in the 2023 NBA Draft. If either are drafted, they’d become the first Penn State basketball player picked since Tony Carr, who was drafted No. 51 overall by the New Orleans Pelicans in 2018.
However, if both players are drafted, that would make history. Penn State has never had two players drafted in the same draft year.
Currently, there’s only one Penn State hoops alum on an NBA roster. Program legend Lamar Stevens plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers and has carved out a spot as a role player. Stevens appeared in 62 games during the regular season and started in 25 of them, averaging 18.1 minutes per game. He fell short of making the Cavs’ playoff rotation, though, as he played a total of only nine minutes in Cleveland’s 4-1 series loss to the New York Knicks.
The 2023 NBA Draft Combine will take place from May 16 to 18 at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.
