Jalen Suggs

Jalen Suggs

Suggs with the Orlando Magic in 2022
No. 4–Orlando Magic
Position	Shooting guard / point guard
League	NBA
Personal information
Born	(2001-06-03) June 3, 2001 (age 22) Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
Listed height	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight	205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High school	Minnehaha Academy (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
College	Gonzaga (2020–2021)
NBA draft	2021: 1st round, 5th overall pick
Selected by the Orlando Magic
Playing career	2021–present
Career history
2021–present	Orlando Magic
Career highlights and awards
Consensus second-team All-American (2021) First-team All-WCC (2021) WCC Newcomer of the Year (2021) WCC All-Freshman Team (2021) WCC tournament MOP (2021) McDonald's All-American (2020) Minnesota Mr. Basketball (2020) Minnesota Mr. Football (2019)
Stats   at NBA.com
Stats   at Basketball-Reference.com
Medals Men's basketball Representing   United States FIBA Under-19 World Cup 2019 Greece Team FIBA Under-17 World Cup 2018 Argentina Team FIBA Americas Under-16 Championship 2017 Argentina Team

Jalen Rashon Suggs (born June 3, 2001) is an American professional basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Gonzaga Bulldogs. He was selected by the Magic with the fifth overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft.

Early life

Suggs was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, to Larry Suggs and Molly Manley. ^[1] Suggs' father was an accomplished local athlete. Suggs started playing basketball at an early age. ^[2] In seventh grade, he played three games of junior varsity basketball for Minnehaha Academy, a private Christian school in Minneapolis, before moving to the varsity team. Suggs was a starter at the varsity level as an eighth-grade student, averaging 17.5 points, 4.4 steals, and four assists per game. ^[3]

High school career

As a freshman at Minnehaha Academy, Suggs averaged 21.5 points, eight rebounds and five assists per game. He scored 22 points, including 15 in the second half, to win the Class 2A state championship over Crosby-Ironton High School. ^[4] Suggs was named to the MaxPreps Freshman All-American first team. ^[5] In his sophomore season, he averaged 16 points, 9.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game, leading his team to another Class 2A state title. ^[6] Suggs earned Associated Press (AP) All-State first team and MaxPreps Sophomore All-American second team honors. ^[7]

As a junior, he averaged 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game, winning a third straight Class 2A state championship. Suggs was named to the AP All-State first team and MaxPreps Junior All-American third team. ^[8] As a senior, he averaged 23.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, five assists and 3.9 steals per game. ^[9] The school's 2019–20 season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic one day after it won a section title, and the team was unable to defend its state championship. Suggs left as his school's all-time leading scorer, with 2,945 career points. ^[10] Suggs earned MaxPreps All-American first team and Minnesota Mr. Basketball honors, ^{[11] [12]} and was named Minnesota AP Player of the Year. ^[13] He was selected to play in the McDonald's All-American Game, Jordan Brand Classic and Nike Hoop Summit, but all three games were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ^[14]

In addition to basketball, Suggs played the quarterback position for SMB Wolfpack, a cooperative football team representing Minnehaha Academy and three other private schools. ^[15] He led his team to a Class 4A state championship as a junior in 2018. In his senior season, Suggs helped SMB finish as Class 4A runners-up and was named Minnesota Mr. Football. ^[16] In his senior year, he was recognized as MaxPreps Athlete of the Year for his success in basketball and football. ^[9] He became the first athlete in Minnesota history to win the state's Mr. Basketball and Mr. Football awards in the same academic school year. ^[17]

Recruiting

On January 3, 2020, Suggs committed to play college basketball for Gonzaga University, choosing the Bulldogs over offers from Florida, Florida State, Iowa State and Minnesota. He became the highest ranked player to commit to the program. Suggs was a consensus five-star recruit, with ESPN considering him the fifth-best player in the 2020 class. In football, Suggs was considered a four-star dual-threat quarterback by ESPN. ^[18]

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes

Name	Hometown	High school / college	Height	Weight	Commit date
Jalen Suggs PG / SG	St. Paul, MN	Minnehaha Academy (MN)	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	200 lb (91 kg)	Jan 3, 2020
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A    Rivals:     247Sports:     ESPN:    ESPN grade: 96
Overall recruiting rankings:   Rivals: 11   247Sports: 13   ESPN: 6
Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "Gonzaga 2020 Basketball Commitments". Rivals.com. Retrieved September 11, 2020. "2020 Gonzaga Bulldogs Recruiting Class". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 11, 2020. "2020 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved September 11, 2020.

College career

Suggs played for the Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball team in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season.

In his debut on November 25, 2020, Suggs recorded 24 points and eight assists in a 102–90 win over Kansas. ^[19] On December 2, during a game against West Virginia, he suffered an apparent foot injury but returned later in the game. ^[20] On December 19, Suggs posted a career-high 27 points, seven rebounds and four assists, shooting 7-of-10 from three-point range, in a 99–88 win over third-ranked Iowa. ^[21]

On March 9, 2021, Suggs recorded 23 points, five rebounds and five assists in an 88–78 win against BYU at the 2021 WCC tournament title game. He was named tournament most outstanding player. ^[22] In the Final Four of the 2021 NCAA tournament, Suggs banked in a 40-foot (12 m), 3-point, game-winning buzzer beater to defeat No. 11 seed UCLA 93–90 in overtime, advancing Gonzaga to the championship game. ^[23]

As a freshman, he averaged 14.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game and was a consensus second-team All-American. He earned First Team All-West Coast Conference (WCC), Newcomer of the Year, and All-Freshman Team honors. ^[24] He also received several player-of-the-week honors during the 2020-2021 season. On April 19, 2021, Suggs declared for the 2021 NBA draft, forgoing his remaining college eligibility. ^[25]

Professional career

Orlando Magic (2021–present)

Suggs was selected with the fifth overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft by the Orlando Magic. ^[26] On August 9, he made his summer league debut in a 91–89 win against the Golden State Warriors in which he posted 24 points, nine rebounds, three blocks, and two steals in 28 minutes. ^[27]

On October 20, Suggs made his NBA debut, putting up 10 points in a 123–97 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. ^[28] On November 29, Suggs fractured his right thumb in a 101–96 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, finishing the game with 17 points before being removed due to the injury. ^[29] He missed twenty games with the injury. ^[30] After the 2021–22 season ended, Suggs underwent right ankle surgery. ^[31]

On October 7, 2022, Suggs suffered a left knee capsule sprain and bone bruise after a collision with Dorian Finney-Smith during a preseason match against the Dallas Mavericks. ^[32] On November 18, against the Chicago Bulls, Suggs hit the game-winning three-pointer in a 108–107 win for the Magic. ^[33] On February 4, 2023, he was suspended by the NBA for one game for his role in an altercation during a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves the day before. ^[34]

On January 5, 2024, Suggs recorded a career-high 27 points in a 122-120 win over the Denver Nuggets. ^[35]

National team career

Suggs won a gold medal with the United States at the 2017 FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship in Formosa, Argentina. In four games, he averaged 7.5 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. ^[36] At the 2018 FIBA Under-17 World Cup in Argentina, Suggs averaged 8.7 points and 3.3 steals per game and won another gold medal. He joined the United States at the 2019 FIBA Under-19 World Cup in Heraklion, Greece, averaging 9.6 points per game and helping his team win the gold medal. Suggs scored 15 points, his best mark in the tournament, in the final against Mali. ^[37]

Career statistics

Legend

GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field goal percentage	3P%	3-point field goal percentage	FT%	Free throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game	Bold	Career high

NBA

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2021–22	Orlando	48	45	27.2	.361	.214	.773	3.6	4.4	1.2	.4	11.8
2022–23	Orlando	53	19	23.5	.419	.327	.723	3.0	2.9	1.3	.5	9.9
Career		101	64	25.3	.387	.271	.752	3.3	3.6	1.2	.5	10.8

College

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2020–21	Gonzaga	30	30	28.9	.503	.337	.761	5.3	4.5	1.9	.3	14.4

Personal life

Suggs has two younger sisters. Their father, Larry, is the second cousin of NFL player Terrell Suggs, a two-time Super Bowl champion. ^[38] Jalen is also a cousin of Eddie Jones, a three-time NBA All-Star. ^[37] He has several other cousins that have played NCAA Division I basketball. ^[39] Another cousin, Tyrese Haliburton, is a player for the Indiana Pacers.

Suggs is a Christian. ^[40]

He is currently dating Hailey Van Lith. ^[41]

References

1. Neal III, La Velle E. (2021-03-19). "Jalen Suggs' march to history with Gonzaga is set to begin Saturday". Star Tribune.
2. Moore, CJ (May 7, 2019). "Jalen Suggs is a top-10 2020 basketball recruit … who is also a four-star QB prospect". The Athletic . Retrieved January 10, 2020.
3. Rule, Heater (January 23, 2016). "Minnehaha Academy eighth-graders anchor winning varsity". Star Tribune . Retrieved January 10, 2020.
4. Frederick, Jace (March 25, 2017). "State boys basketball: Minnehaha Academy holds on to win Class 2A title". St. Paul Pioneer Press . Retrieved January 10, 2020.
5. "2016-17 MaxPreps Boys Basketball Freshman All-American Team". MaxPreps . April 18, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
6. Paulsen, Jim (March 24, 2018). "Minnehaha Academy, driven by larger purpose, defends 2A title with victory over Caledonia". MN Basketball Hub. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
7. "2018 Minnesota AP All-State boys basketball team". Associated Press. April 3, 2018. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
8. "2019 Minnesota AP all-state boys basketball teams". Associated Press. April 1, 2019. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
9. Meehan, Jim (May 26, 2020). "Gonzaga commit Jalen Suggs named MaxPreps male athlete of the year". The Spokesman-Review . Retrieved July 17, 2020.
10. Klauda, Paul (June 18, 2020). "Without a title in hand this year, Jalen Suggs leaves with plenty to smile about". Star Tribune . Retrieved July 17, 2020.
11. Divens, Jordan (March 25, 2020). "MaxPreps 2019-20 High School Boys Basketball All-American Team". MaxPreps . Retrieved July 17, 2020.
12. Paulsen, Jim (March 18, 2020). "Mr. Football winner Jalen Suggs named Minnesota Mr. Basketball, too". Star Tribune . Retrieved July 17, 2020.
13. "Minnehaha's Jalen Suggs named Minnesota AP Player of Year". Associated Press. March 26, 2020. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
14. Jordan, Jason (March 12, 2019). "McDonald's All American Game Cancelled Amid COVID-19 Concerns". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved March 30, 2020.
15. "I want to play for SMB!". SMB Football Homepage. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
16. Paulsen, Jim (December 8, 2019). "Jalen Suggs wins Mr. Football". MN Football Hub. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
17. Medcalf, Myron (25 March 2021). "A decade in the making: The rising legend of Gonzaga star Jalen Suggs". ESPN. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
18. Borzello, Jeff (January 3, 2020). "Jalen Suggs commits to Gonzaga, says overseas 'very serious' option". ESPN . Retrieved January 10, 2020.
19. "No. 1 Gonzaga defeats No. 6 Kansas 102–90; 3 Zags with 20+". ESPN . Associated Press. November 25, 2020. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
20. Borzello, Jeff (December 2, 2020). "Jalen Suggs returns for No. 1 Gonzaga Bulldogs following injury scare". ESPN . Retrieved December 3, 2020.
21. Jackson, Wilton (December 19, 2020). "Jalen Suggs, No. 1 Gonzaga Cruise Past No. 3 Iowa Despite Hawkeyes' Second-Half Rally". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved July 20, 2021.
22. Lawson, Theo (March 9, 2021). "Jalen Suggs named WCC Tournament MVP; Corey Kispert, Drew Timme named to all-tournament team". The Spokesman-Review . Retrieved July 20, 2021.
23. Bolch, Ben (April 3, 2021). "UCLA's title hopes shattered in Final Four loss to Gonzaga in overtime". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
24. "Jalen Suggs - Men's Basketball". Gonzaga University Athletics. Retrieved 2021-09-14.
25. Wojnarowski, Adrian (April 19, 2021). "Gonzaga Bulldogs star freshman guard Jalen Suggs to enter NBA draft". ESPN . Retrieved July 20, 2021.
26. Fuller, Marcus (July 30, 2021). "Jalen Suggs goes fifth in NBA draft to Orlando Magic". Star Tribune . Retrieved July 30, 2021.
27. "Orlando vs. Golden State - Box Score - August 9, 2021 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2021-08-10.
28. Cali, Mike (October 20, 2021). "Spurs 123, Magic 97: Mo Bamba shines but Magic routed in season opener". SB Nation. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
29. "Orlando Magic lose Jalen Suggs to fractured thumb". ESPN . November 29, 2021. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
30. "Magic's Jalen Suggs Won't Need Surgery on Thumb Injury; Reevaluation in 2 Weeks". Bleacher Report. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
31. "Magic's Jalen Suggs Had Surgery on Ankle Injury; Will Be Ready for Training Camp". Bleacher Report. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
32. "Magic's Jalen Suggs avoids serious knee injury after collision". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
33. "Jalen Suggs' Game-Winner Leads Magic Over Bulls". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
34. "NBA Communications on Twitter: "The following was released by the NBA."". Twitter. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
35. "Magic vs Nuggets, January 5, 2024". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2024-02-09.
36. Daniels, Evan (June 1, 2017). "USA: Jalen Suggs shines on day one". 247Sports . Retrieved January 15, 2020.
37. Drumwright, Steve (June 17, 2019). "Two-Sport Star Jalen Suggs Has Eye On Basketball For Now As A U19 World Cup Team Hopeful". USA Basketball . Archived from the original on January 15, 2020. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
38. "SociaLight: The Jalen Suggs-Terrell Suggs Connection Runs Deep". www.baltimoreravens.com. Retrieved 2021-04-05.
39. Paulsen, Jim (February 27, 2017). "For Minnehaha Academy's Jalen Suggs, athletic excellence is all relative". Star Tribune . Retrieved January 10, 2020.
40. Claybourn, Cole. "Jalen Suggs drafted No. 5 overall by Orlando Magic, says, 'It was God's plan'". Sports Spectrum. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
41. Lemoncelli, Jenna (2021-07-30). "Jalen Suggs' girlfriend, Hailey Van Lith, is a baller too". New York Post . Retrieved 2024-04-02.

External links

Media related to Jalen Suggs at Wikimedia Commons

• Gonzaga Bulldogs bio
• USA Basketball bio