Jalen Mcdaniels Is A Stud At San Diego State University Whos Projected As A First-round Pick In The 2019 Nba Draft. His Little Brother Jaden Is A High School Star Whos One Of The Top Players In The Class Of 2019. They Dont Talk Much, But Their Games Speak For Themand Those Games Are Loud As Hell.
WILL MCDANIELS always had a simple message for his two sons: Just work and it’ll click. In an era when discussing “the process” is oversaturated and considered a cliché, Will knew those words would resonate with his boys, Jalen and Jaden, and translate to the hardwood.
“Kids these days,” says Will, via phone from Federal Way, WA, “always want to see the results immediately.”
And for the McDaniels brothers, results on the court weren’t immediate, not like those for the typical highly touted prep talent who sit atop recruiting rankings and are in the public eye long before they enter high school.
Jalen McDaniels was ranked No. 98 in the Class of 2016 before committing to San Diego State University. The idea of redshirting became a reality for the four-star recruit, who arrived to campus with a 6-10, 190-pound frame and sat out the majority of what would’ve been his proper freshman season while getting both stronger and better.
“Just soak up the game,” Will, who knew it’d be beneficial, told Jalen. “Then when your time comes, you’ll be prepared.”
In Jalen’s first 10 games following his redshirt year, his minutes on the floor were sporadic, only scoring in double figures twice. He posted 15 points and 10 rebounds en route to a win over Gonzaga, earning him a starting role in the lineup in late December.
As the season progressed, Jalen led the Aztecs in points (226), rebounds (8.5 per game) and field-goal percentage (62.8) in Mountain West Conference play. He was one of four freshmen to post double-digit rebound performances in his first nine games, the most by a freshman since Kawhi Leonard in 2010, as the Aztecs captured their fifth MWC championship since 2011 and punched a ticket to the Big Dance.
This story is from the November 2018 edition of Slam.
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This story is from the November 2018 edition of Slam.
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