Jalen Suggs, PG
One of the consensus favorite prospects in this 2021 draft class is the former Gonzaga Bulldogs freshman star point guard Jalen Suggs. This former elite five-star recruit and sizable 6-foot-4 and 205 pound floor general was very solid for the Zags during his true freshman campaign, he just wasn’t able to lead them all the way in the end.
Head coach Mark Few and the Zags fell just one game short of winning a National Championship in the season that was. They just couldn’t get past the surging Baylor Bears in the end.
Yet, that doesn’t take away from the sensational freshman campaign that Suggs had in proving his value as a lottery pick in this year’s draft class. The consensus All-American and West Coast Conference Tournament MVP stood out in the 30 games he played in for the Zags last season.
He averaged 14.4 points per game, 5.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.9 steals, and 0.3 blocks. And Suggs shot 50.3 percent from the field, 33.7 percent from beyond the arc, and 75.4 percent from the free-throw line.
Suggs has the size to excel on both ends of the floor. His solid frame will allow him to effectively matchup with most opposing guards on the perimeter and his lateral agility is not to be questioned. When he’s in the zone (which happens most often), he’s lightning-quick when driving the lane and is efficient in dishing to his open teammates.
What still needs to improve is the consistency in shooting from deep for Suggs, along with poor decisions in turning the ball over in transition at times. His number of turnovers per game last season with the Sags (just south of 3.0) was a little high.