Jalen Suggs helped Gonzaga be one of the most stacked rosters in recent memory, leading the Bulldogs to the NCAA title game. As a 5 star freshman, Suggs averaged 14.4 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 4.5 APG, 2 SPG, 0.3 BPG, and 2.9 TOPG on shooting splits of 50/34/75. Below is his full scouting report:
Height/Weight: 6’4/ 205
Wingspan/ standing reach: N/A
Hand size: N/A
Position: Combo guard
College/ country: Gonzaga
Tools: 3 level scoring, athleticism, two-way potential
Pros:
- Excellent feel for the game and basketball IQ
- Strong first step
- Quick jumper with good touch
- Active hands defensively make him a pest both on-ball and off-ball
- Comfortable with either hand
- High motor
Cons:
- Needs to improve ball security
- Jump shot needs to become more consistent
- Can be over-aggressive defensively, particularly with his hands
Overall:
Jalen Suggs provides one of the highest floors in the NBA draft, serving almost automatically as a starting-caliber combo guard with both offensive and defensive impact. While Suggs needs to reduce his reliability on his active hands defensively, he has quick feet and good recovery ability to be able to capably defend most guards in the NBA. Offensively, the key to unlocking his upside begins with his shooting consistency. Suggs has good form and solid touch, but settled for many deep attempts that lowered his overall 3 point percentage as a freshman. As he continues to get more reps shooting the ball, his jump shooting percentages should rise in the NBA.
The most dangerous weapon Suggs has offensively is his unpredictability. He can drive just as comfortably with his left hand as he can with his dominant right hand, and must be taken seriously on closeouts. With good athleticism, defenses will have a hard time staying in front of Suggs.
Similar to: Donovan Mitchell, Donte Divincenzo, Baron Davis, more athletic Mike Bibby
Projected draft range: 2-5
Games watched: Iowa, Kansas (live), Pepperdine 1/30, Pacific 2/4, San Francisco x2, SD 2/20, LMU 2/27, WCC championship, Baylor, UCLA, Oklahoma, Creighton
Expected role: Two-way starting combo guard that creates equally for himself and others, makes teammates around him better, and scores at all 3 levels.
Unplayable if: Nearly impossible to see Suggs getting to unplayable territory, but his worst case scenario is that his jump shot does not translate, limiting his slashing effectiveness. He still would be a rotation player in this scenario due to his IQ, defense, and finishing ability & athleticism.
Exceeds expectations if: In this scenario, Suggs is a multiple time all-star, likely being an efficient scorer, good playmaker, strong defender, and limited turnovers as he matures. Suggs’ high-end outcome is him being a second or third option on a good team with limited flaws.
