Jalen Coleman-Lands, DePaul

After transferring in from Illinois and sitting out a full year, junior guard Jalen Coleman-Lands is finally ready to make his mark at DePaul.

After averaging 9.1 points on .402 percent shooting from three-point range in his two years with the Illini, Coleman-Lands is hoping to build on those numbers in the Big East. But for Coleman-Lands, he just wants to get out there and play the game he loves.

So what was Coleman-Lands’ main takeaway from sitting out a full year as a transfer?

“I feel like I learned a lot about myself as far as character (goes),” Coleman-Lands said while at Big East Media Day. “(I learned about) how I can help the team from a leadership standpoint and be able to give input. By observing others and my (teammates), I feel like I learned a lot.”

Even though he hasn’t played in over a year, just being with his teammates and in practice has given him up a leg up on what to expect when the games start for real.

“Me being there (a full year) is a little bit different than me not being there (by) coming in and playing immediately,” Coleman-Lands added. “I was able to see it (the game) and (the other players) have given me input on how I can help the team. “

Coleman-Lands knows the rigors of playing in a high-major conference by virtue of already playing in the Big 10. Nonetheless, Coleman-Lands is very excited to be playing in the Big East and play against some great team like the defending National Champs Villanova and other teams that recruited him.

“Man, I’m looking forward to it,” Coleman-Lands said about playing in the Big East. “Obviously, most of our opponents are in major cities. So being able to play in major arenas and different environments, I’m looking forward to it.”

While Coleman-Lands is known for his prolific shooting from the perimeter, he is looking to expand his game and contribute across the board for head coach Dave Leitao.

“Definitely,” Coleman-Lands said when asked if he is working to become a complete player. “I’m working on my ball handling, IQ, reads, passing the ball, (playing) defense. I’ve had a whole year to work on that, and by seeing my weaknesses I worked on my flaws.”

Coleman-Lands has a chip on his shoulder. He wants to be part of a group that finally gets the Blue Demons over the winning hump.

“I got a chip on my shoulder individually, and as a team, we have a chip on our shoulder,” Coleman-Lands said. “Coming into a different conference and playing on a team (that wants to improve), I feel we all should have a chip on our shoulders.”

Coleman-Lands did start in DePaul’s first exhibition game against Rockhurst on Thursday and the expectation is he’ll be a starter most of the year. But, he’s confident in any role Leitao has in store for him.

“At the end of the day, I’m here to help the team (win),” Coleman-Lands said. “We all have a common goal and nobody knows who’s starting. I feel like we’re all the same, which is good as everyone is working hard.”

Although he is a newcomer, a year on the sidelines has ingratiated Coleman-Lands with a sense of belonging and purpose. He has two years left to prove he is as good as he was advertised. Coleman-Lands was ranked as the No.37 overall prospect in the 2015 recruiting class according to 247 Sports.

All he wants to do, though, is win and put DePaul on the map.

“Win,” said Coleman-Lands on what his goals are for his last two years as a collegian. “That’s the most important thing— win games, win the Big East Tournament, win the national championship. That’s our goal. If that’s not your goal, you shouldn’t be playing.”