Penn State basketball: Nittany Lions make history with NBA Combine invite

Although it was overshadowed by the coaching change and roster turmoil that followed, last year was a historic season for the Penn State basketball program. The Nittany Lions played in the Big Ten Tournament Championship for the second time ever, made their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2011, and won their first tournament game since 2001. In a season of firsts, Jalen Pickett became the program’s first All-American since Jesse Arnelle nearly 70 years ago. And the 2022-23 Penn State basketball team made history once again Tuesday, as Pickett and fellow former Nittany Lion Seth Lundy were announced as participants in the upcoming NBA Combine.

Lundy and Pickett make history with NBA Combine invite

On Tuesday night, Penn State announced that Jalen Pickett and Seth Lundy had been officially invited to the NBA Combine, which begins on May 15 in Chicago, Illinois. The news marks the first time that Penn State basketball has had two players invited to the NBA Combine in the same year. Pickett and Lundy become only the fourth and fifth Nittany Lions to ever earn NBA Combine invitations, preceded by Jarrett Stephens (2001), Tony Carr (2018), and Lamar Stevens (2020).

Happy Valley → #NBA Combine@JalenPickett7 & @llseth23 have officially been invited to next week's NBA Draft Combine in Chicago: https://t.co/BfWIcf90CC#WeAre pic.twitter.com/5PwlkdWUQ1

— Penn State Men’s Basketball (@PennStateMBB) May 10, 2023

Pickett put together one of the best seasons in NCAA history last winter. He became the first Division I men’s player since 1993 to average at least 17 points, seven rebounds, and six assists per game while shooting over 50% from the field for an entire year. The season was a capstone of a historic collegiate career for Pickett. Pickett is the first player since 1986 to tally over 2,000 points, 700 rebounds, and 800 assists over his college tenure.

An All-Big Ten Honor Mention, Lundy averaged over 14 points and six rebounds per game in 2022-23, his most impressive season at Penn State. Lundy’s 1,283 points and 229 three-pointers made rank 20th and sixth in program history, respectively. In March, Lundy announced his intention to enter the NBA Draft after his senior season in Happy Valley.

Penn State basketball’s dynamic duo look to make history once again

Two of the most successful players ever at Penn State, Pickett and Lundy will try to make history once again in next month’s NBA Draft. The duo aims to become the first Lions drafted since Tony Carr was selected by the New Orleans Pelicans in the second round of the 2018 NBA Draft. Carr is the only Nittany Lion taken in the NBA Draft this millennium. If both Lundy and Pickett are selected, it will be the first time Penn State has ever had multiple draft picks in the same year. Given their track record on the court, the pair has a great chance to check one final box for the Penn State basketball program. 

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