Jalen McDaniels continued to progress and develop in his third NBA season, working his way around a serious mid-season ankle sprain to become a valuable part of the Hornets’ rotation.
Over 55 games and two starts, McDaniels put up 6.2 points on a career-high 48.4% shooting, 3.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 16.3 minutes. He also shot a personal best from 3-point range – 38.0% on 2.0 attempts per game – while spending about two-thirds of his on-court minutes at the power forward position and the rest at small forward. The aforementioned injury occurred on Jan. 21, sidelining McDaniels for about six weeks and forcing him to miss 19 total games.
“For myself personally, I thought I had a solid season,” he said during exit interviews. “I felt like I was on a roll and that injury kind of set me back. I’m kind of disappointed about that, but I can’t control it. It is what it is. I feel like the last 10 games, I got my footing back. I finally started to pick up where I left off.”
Compounded with injuries to Gordon Hayward and Cody Martin, the Hornets went just 6-13 without McDaniels while he was sidelined with the ankle sprain. He returned on March 8, but averaged just 3.3 points on 29% shooting over his next 12 outings. While it was certainly a challenge getting back into the flow of things, the San Diego State product managed to close out the regular season by scoring in double figures in three of the team’s final four contests.
“Before we went to Miami [on April 5], I started to feel like myself, moving and flying around,” he recalled. “Just getting comfortable out there. This was my first time really being hurt. I thought I could just be thrown back in, but it doesn’t really work like that. Getting your rhythm back [is the hardest part]. That’s a real thing. Missing layups, easy shots, it’s a rhythm thing.”
Possessing a somewhat under-the-radar persona, McDaniels’ play on the court and his attitude off it really stuck out to one veteran on the roster this season, in particular.
“He was so impressive to me, not only as a player,” said fellow frontcourter Mason Plumlee after the season. “To me, he was one of the best teammates all season. Level-headed, never complained about shots or playing time. He just showed up, never had a bad thing to say about the next guy. Obviously as a player, we saw that we missed him when he was injured. I thought he was terrific all season. I was really impressed by him.”
“Shoutout Mase – that’s my man,” said McDaniels. “I just try to be myself, honestly. I wasn’t really doing anything extra. That’s respect from Mase right there. He always looked out for me this year. He was always giving me encouragement. I just focus on playing with energy and doing all the little stuff. When I do that, everything else starts to flow. Just coming in, being aggressive, flying around, that’s just who I am. That’s what makes me a good player.”
Even with the lengthy absence, McDaniels broke through as a rotational player, thanks to his 3-point shooting, defensive switchability and budding confidence. He’s taken incremental steps in a number of different areas this season and now has his sights set on another productive summer, which should lead to an even more enhanced role heading into next year.
“I’m very excited for the offseason and ready to make a big leap,” he said. “Just working on my body. This year, I felt like I was getting to my spots and everything. Looking to finish better, so getting stronger, taking hits. Shooting, ball-handling, making better reads, coming off pick-and-rolls, whatever the case may be. Just working on all aspects of my game because I’m a versatile player. I know what I can do and bring to the team, the capabilities that I have.”