Seth Lundy’s lasting impact in State College and why he believes he is ‘the steal of the draft’
Many people choose to use their lock screen to recall some of the most joyful memories of their life. Seth Lundy opted for a different strategy after one of the worst performances in his basketball career.
After shooting 1-16 from the floor and 0-11 from 3-point range in a devastating late season loss to Rutgers, Lundy pasted that box score on his lock screen as a way to motivate himself to never endure a night like that again.
The result? A defining stretch of Lundy’s career as he led the Nittany Lions to six wins in their next seven games, including a trip to the Big Ten Tournament championship and the school’s first NCAA Tournament win in over 20 years.
He could’ve put that game in the rearview mirror and tried to forget about what is surely a haunting memory, but that’s not who Seth Lundy is.
“I’m a learner. I had to remind myself that no matter how good of a shooter I am, even the greatest shooters go through slumps too.” Lundy said. “It was something that hurt me but also something that helped me at the same time.”
Now, Seth Lundy is one of the highest risers on NBA Draft boards after a terrific showing at the NBA Combine scrimmages and impressive individual workouts with several NBA teams. One of the secrets to his success is his familiarity with NBA concepts that Micah Shrewsberry implemented within the potent Penn State offense.
“I knew he said it was, but I didn’t know that everything we were doing was from the NBA. It’s hard for some guys to pick up on these actions, but it’s been easier for me because I’ve been doing it for the past two years. That’s all Coach Shrewsberry,” said Lundy.
Whether it was flying around screens to create open perimeter looks for himself or executing timely cuts to the basket for easy dunks, Lundy always knew where he needed to be to get the most out of Shrewsberry’s high-flying offense.
This versatile scoring skillset, as well as a brotherly bond with All-American teammate Jalen Pickett, helped the Nittany Lions get the most out of Shrewsberry’s advanced, yet effective scheme.
“We built a great bond with each other, and we’ll talk every day about basketball or life or our families,” said Lundy. “My relationship with Jalen is just very special.”
This relationship between the stars of Penn State’s tremendous roster isn’t just special – it could also be historic. The basketball program has always been overshadowed by football, but Lundy and Pickett have the chance to become the first two Nittany Lion teammates in school history to be drafted in the same year. Additionally, either could also become the first player in school history to be drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft.
“That would mean a lot to not just me or Jalen, but to this program. Penn State praises football, but that would mean so much to that whole program and hopefully help them in the future,” said Lundy.
It’s always been about the Penn State program to Lundy, and he will always know that he’s leaving it better than the way he found it.
When COVID-19 struck and ended one of the most promising seasons in school history, Lundy stayed. When a scandal surfaced against the head coach who recruited him to Happy Valley from his freshman season of high school, Lundy stayed. When the interim coach wasn’t retained and a third coach in three seasons was looming, Lundy stayed.
Now it’s time to go.
Lundy’s role shouldn’t change much at the next level, and with his experience running NBA actions and filling the role of a 3-and-D player at Penn State, it’s easy to envision a smooth transition to the next level. Teams are starting to see it too with the comfortability and success in his workouts.
Perhaps his greatest attribute, though, is the work he puts in behind the scenes and the mindset he maintains when failures like the Rutgers game come his way.
“I’m a hard worker. I’m always trying to get better and learn from the greats. I know I can help win games by taking a game-winning charge or making winning plays even if my shot’s not falling.”
There was no greater example of that this season than when Penn State was a possession away from blowing an 18-point halftime lead to Iowa on New Year’s Day. Lundy had just eight points at the time and was a dreadful 2-9 from the field, but his steal in the final seconds, and subsequent free throws at the other end to put the game out of reach, sealed a huge conference win that the Nittany Lions likely needed to make the NCAA Tournament a few months later.
Moments like these have prepared Lundy for this life-changing moment in front of him. Whether it was playing with superstars like Lamar Stevens and Tony Carr in high school, impacting games in three different systems under three different head coaches at Penn State or recovering from the worst game of his life to provide one of the best months in program history, he’s been confident through every step of his journey. He knows better than anyone that he won’t change now.
“I know at the end of the day, first round or second round, I’m going to have a long and healthy NBA career,” Lundy said. “If you want a great kid and a winner, I feel like I’m the perfect guy. Whoever drafts me is going to get the steal of the draft. I guarantee that.”
