Jalen Suggs was one of the top rookie and generally major parts in men’s college basketball this previous season. In this way, it will not come as a very remarkable amazement that he’s announcing for the 2021 NBA draft.
Suggs made the declaration as a feature of a non-fungible token (NFT) release Monday.
The 19-year-old averaged 14.4 points, 5.3 bounce back and 4.5 assists per game in the 2020-21 season, helping lead Gonzaga to a 31-1 record and a trip to the NCAA competition last. He combined with sophomore Drew Timme and senior Corey Kispert to give the Bulldogs the best Big Three in college basketball.
He likewise gave the most essential snapshot of the competition with a half-court buzzer-beater against UCLA.
Given his magnificent season, it was just about a foregone conclusion that he would be a one-and-done player.
In a February mock draft, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz projected him as the No. 4 overall pick. Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman had him only one pick lower to the Oklahoma City Thunder at No. 5, calling him an “interchangeable backcourt piece who adds more downhill speed, plus extra playmaking and defensive pressure” whenever matched with a player like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Wasserman added that the 6’4″, 205-pound Suggs was risky as a pick-and-roll ball-handler and pull-up shooter, however he likewise noted: “[He] lacks one elite skill or strength, which may make him tougher for teams to take in the top three. But it’s hard to identify any alarming hole or concern in his scouting report.”
All things considered, Suggs flaunted a NBA-level game in his one season at Gonzaga and appears to be a lock to be a top-10 pick. He did little to hurt his draft stock this season, settling on the decision to turn pro a pretty simple one.