Jalen Pickett got advice from Chris Paul once. He took it to heart: “I feel like I can go anywhere”

Jalen Pickett was working out in Los Angeles one summer when he encountered two canonical point guards of an older generation. One is his teammate now. The other was his counterpart this week.

Pickett found himself sharing the floor with not only Russell Westbrook but Chris Paul, whose San Antonio Spurs held off the Nuggets on Wednesday. Not for a lack of production from Pickett, though. Surrounded by future Hall of Famers at his position, the 25-year-old upstart registered his first career triple-double in his second career start, continuing to exhibit poise beyond his two years in the league.

Maybe that’s in part thanks to Paul’s advice.

“Him and Russ were working out right before me a couple times,” Pickett recalled. “So I was able to talk to him and get a couple tips on how to set up a pick-and-roll and things like that. … He always gets to his right hand. So he was like, ‘The defense can never tell you where to go. You always control the defense, in the way you set it up and how you come off (the screen).’ I mean, I feel like I can go anywhere now just by watching what he does.”

Full disclosure from Paul: He “absolutely” does not remember the meeting. But the 39-year-old tipped his cap after Pickett tallied 17 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for the Nuggets.

“I talked to (DeAndre Jordan) this morning, and he was talking about Pickett,” Paul said. “And I watch basketball every night. I watch them play all the time. So he plays hard. Plays the right way. Really good on the ball screen. Got me with some of my own stuff tonight.”

There is something of a stylistic resemblance between the two undersized point guards, both of whom can dictate a methodical tempo to their advantage. Recognizing the dilemma of a 2-on-2 transition attack after his only steal Wednesday, Pickett pulled off an inventive bit of play-making when he decelerated at the 3-point line until Spencer Jones — trailing the play — was close enough to receive a short bounce pass in stride. It was a gift-wrapped layup. Jones had too much momentum going toward the rim for San Antonio’s stationary defenders to stop him.

Pickett had slowed them down and sped his teammate up, playing puppeteer with the pace.

“He’s not gonna wow you. He’s not gonna do anything that’s gonna be on a highlight necessarily,” coach Michael Malone said. “But he’s just really steady, really solid. Makes open shots. Makes the right plays. Battles on defense. Gets us organized. And guys like playing with him, because he’s going to make the right plays.”

When Paul was in his second NBA season, Pickett was in the second grade. Paul is of the era that Pickett grew up watching and admiring, long before the Nuggets drafted him in the second round in 2023.

Just as the young faction of Denver’s roster has sought guidance from Westbrook, the Spurs have looked to Paul as a leader all season while navigating unexpected circumstances — the health-related absences of coach Gregg Popovich and franchise centerpiece Victor Wembanyama chief among them. Paul went for 17 points and eight assists in the win at Denver.

“You watch him and you watch all his highlights,” Pickett said, “and you feel like you know a guy. Then he gets out there and still does the same moves to you.”

Pickett relishes that, like he relished the advice in Los Angeles. He has made a point of taking to heart any pearls of wisdom NBA role models share with him, even Nuggets guard Jamal Murray.

Pickett has remained largely outside of Denver’s rotation throughout his sophomore campaign, but his performance against the Spurs was an encore of sorts. Every opportunity to play has been cashed in. He’s closing in on a 100-assist season, averaging 4.5 for every one turnover — an extraordinary ratio, especially for an inexperienced player.

How much confidence does Malone have in him as a bench option who can play critical minutes the rest of this season?

“He’s proven himself to be trustworthy,” the 10th-year Nuggets coach said.

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