2021 NBA Draft Scouting Report: PG Jalen Suggs

PSO’s original Scouting Reports strive to be uniquely valuable in evaluating a player’s future outlook by focusing on the four main subjects that summarize a player’s likelihood of succeeding at the next level including: Natural Athleticism, developed NBA-Caliber Skills, proven Production, and overall Risk that each individual player presents to a team drafting him. For a full breakdown of PSO’s Scouting Reports, click here.

BIO

Pos: PG

Hometown: West St. Paul, Minn.

School: Gonzaga

Class: Freshman

DOB (Age): 6/3/01 (Age 20)

Height: 6’4″ | Weight: 205 lbs.

Wingspan: N/A | Vertical: N/A

INTERESTING FACTS

Played QB in high school; 1st athlete to win Minnesota’s Mr. Football & Mr. Basketball in the same season
Cousins with former NBA All-Star Eddie Jones, and related to former NFL All-Pro EDGE Terrell Suggs
Highest rated recruit to ever commit to Gonzaga; Led them to a 31-1 record, losing only the National Championship

ATHLETICISM

Pros

Great frame for a PG; strong enough to finish through contact at the rim and does not back away from physicality
Very fast in the open floor, can go coast to coast in the blink of an eye, and jumpstarts the offense often
Lateral quickness is a strength; slides his feet well on defense and has good hip rotations
Good vertical leaper; can put defenders on posters but mainly uses this to grab rebounds and initiate the offense
Great arm strength due to football background, keeps the defense on their toes consistently
Quick in tight spaces, easily gets into the lane for scoring or kickout opportunities

Cons

Could improve dexterity, most of his moves are powerful but predictable, as he matures he will learn to switch things up
Not big or strong enough to guard anyone besides other Point Guards/Shooting Guards

Grade: A-

NBA SKILLS

Pros

True floor general, commands the offense when on the floor and has a great feel for the game
Has the ability to defend any backcourt player, and uses his strength and footwork well on the defensive end
Does all of the little things well; off-ball defense is very good for someone his age
Modern NBA shot selection; over 80% of his shot attempts came either right at the rim or behind the arc
Can play either guard spot, and should fit well into any offensive scheme in the NBA
Lets the game come to him, never feels pressure to score if that is not the best option for his team
Has shown potential to hit step-backs and contested shots under pressure
Can run the pick-and-roll at an elite level at the next level

Cons

Outside shooting will need to slightly improve, should get better as he focuses more on specifics
Forced the issue a lot; needs to limit this at the next level where defenses are more complex

Grade: A

PRODUCTION

Pros

All-American 2nd Team, All-Conference 1st Team, WCC freshman of the year
5.3 RPG; great for a Point Guard and especially important because he immediately begins the break
1.9 SPG demonstrates his playmaking ability of the defensive side of the ball
.595 True Shooting Percentage: efficiency is key for someone who is going to have the ball in their hand so much
90.8 D-Rating; great for a league with so many tough matchups at the point guard position
85% of shots taken from 3PA or in the paint, a modern NBA shot selection which analytics departments will love
4.5 assists does not jump off the page, but started alongside a pass-first PG, this number will be higher in the league

Cons

2.9 TOV is high, mainly due to the pace of play with Gonzaga, but also forcing passes trying to make flashy plays
76.1 FT%; not bad, but needs to increase for someone that gets to the line so frequently
33.7 3P% shows the need for Suggs to continue developing his 3-point shot
14.4 PPG doesn’t jump off the page for an elite prospect (but played for an elite Gonzaga team and shot 50% FG)

Grade: A-

RISK

Pros

Handles the spotlight very well, spent the entire year as the face of the #1 team in the country
Great leader; accepted lots of responsibility on a talent-loaded team, agreed to add transfer for his same position
Played his best when the games/moments mattered most; Clutch factor
Confident on both sides of the floor and sets a good example for his teammates
Football background is seen when he plays, make incredible passes and is never afraid of contact
Not afraid to take the big shot, hit 1 of the biggest shots in CBB history to send Gonzaga to the national championship
Will turn 20 a month before he is drafted; plenty of time to develop and hone his craft
Has no glaring weaknesses in his game = High floor

Cons

Some concerns of injuries due to his style of play, but not too worrisome because he quickly bounces back
Nothing about his game completely jumps off the page which could limit his ceiling

Grade: A-

OVERALL

Gonzaga’s highest recruit in school history did not disappoint during his 2nd team All-American, WCC freshman of the year campaign. Alongside Corey Kispert and Drew Timme, the former high school quarterback led Mark Few’s incredibly efficient offense to an undefeated regular season and incredible postseason run ending in a championship defeat to Baylor. His feature play was a game-winning 3PM in the Final Four against UCLA, a shot that will be shown on tournament highlight reels for years to come.

The Minnesota native had his best games against his best competition. He scored 20+ PTS four times vs. ranked teams, and in both games against in conference rival BYU. With a solid frame for a modern NBA point guard, he’s the perfect leader of a transition attack. Suggs is very explosive yet has the durability to ensure he can bounce back quickly from injuries. His basketball IQ draw early comparisons to CP3 and J-Kidd. Suggs has a very high floor and his overall skillset could lead to being an All-Star one day.

Pro Comp: Jamal Murray (DEN)

Projected Rd/Pick: Top 5

Prime Destinations: HOU, TOR, ORL, OKC

OVERALL Grade: A-