2023 Penn State players in the NBA

Denver Nuggets guard Jalen Pickett in the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

by: Amber Charnoff

Posted: Oct 26, 2023 / 11:33 AM EDT

Updated: Oct 26, 2023 / 04:31 PM EDT

(WHTM) – The 2023-24 NBA season tipped off on Tuesday with two former Nittany Lions geared up to take the court.

As of Oct. 26, there are two Penn State basketball alumni represented in the NBA.

Jalen Pickett – Denver Nuggets guard

Pickett was selected by the Nuggets in the 2nd round of the 2023 NBA Draft and is in his debut season. Pickett and the Nuggets opened their season on Tuesday with a win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Pickett had two points in the game.

Pickett played for Penn State for two seasons from 2021 to 2023, starting all 68 games he appeared in. Pickett set the Nittany Lion single-season assists record with 243 assists last season and tied the record for most field goals made in a season with 260.

The New York native had just the second triple-double and the first points-rebounds-assists triple-double in school history in a contest against Butler on Nov. 14, 2022.

Pickett also set the Bryce Jordan Center record in a historical game against Illinois on Feb. 14, 2023 in which he had 41 points and 15 made field goals.

Pickett had a .46 field goal percentage with the Nittany Lions and averaged 15.5 points per game and 5.5 assists per game.

Lamar Stevens – Boston Celtics power forward

Stevens is entering his third season in the NBA. The Phiadelphia, Pnnsylvania native started his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2020-21 season.

This is Stevens first season with the Celtics. While with the Cavaliers Stevens played in 165 games where he had a 46.7 field goal percentage and totaled 876 points.

Stevens played in the Celtics four preseason games, but did not see action in Boston’s first game of the regular season on Wednesday.

At Penn State, Stevens started in 134 game across his four seasons from 2016 to 2020. Stevens accumulated 2180 points with a .434 field goal percentage. Stevens averaged 6.5 rebounds per game and tallied 125 blocks.

Stevens is the quickest Nittany Lion to get 1,500 career points, reaching the feat in 97 games.

With Pickett and Stevens representing Penn State in the NBA, the Nittany Lions now have had 15 former players in the league.

These are the previous Penn State NBA players who are no longer active in the league: