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@PaulBiancardi #AskcoachB why did Jalen Lindsey plummet in the espn100 all the way down to 73rd.. Wasn't he once ranked in the 90s??
— Mike Surette (@WayneSuretzky) September 26, 2013
Jalen Lindsey is a one-time ESPN 60 prospect, having headed into his junior season at No. 19 based on his size and long-range shooting. He also had a terrific junior season, earning a Mr. Basketball award and winning another state championship. However, during this past spring and summer, he did not play up to his lofty ranking (which was No. 32). He shot the ball at over 40 percent from beyond the arc, which has always been a strong suit, in the Nike EYBL summer league.
Athletes sometimes get highly publicized at a young age based on their physical size along with their ability to stand out using their physical tools and skill or basketball IQ.
Specifically for Lindsey, his ball-handing did not improve at the rate we hoped for and at times he did not play with the same intensity we saw at a younger stage of his career. For any player, if their performance and production lessen, it's likely they will drop out of any rankings.
But let's keep this all in perspective -- he is still in our ESPN 100, which is a remarkable place to be, and he is an accomplished player. Every time we update our rankings we discover more players who have emerged and move in and up on our big board. If Lindsey can improve his handle, play with more passion and become a more complete player while keeping his sharp-shooting jumper, he can always move back up.
When a player moves down in any ranking format it's usually a combination of what others are doing by playing at a high level compared to the player who dropped who no longer is performing or producing at a high level.
Jalen Lindsey is a very good player who will help Providence win a lot of games.
