The Orlando Magic had Jalen Suggs surprisingly fall into their hands during the NBA Draft. Suggs was expected to be picked by the Toronto Raptors with the fourth overall selection, but they took Scottie Barnes instead, leaving Suggs to the Magic with the fifth overall pick. He is a great talent who has so much potential.
The Magic are in the midst of a rebuild as they sold heavily at the trade deadline. They are now building the young core, which will allow Suggs to come in with no pressure. He can just come in and play his game, and the team can focus on his development.
In college, Suggs averaged 14.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game. He led Gonzaga to the NCAA championship game but lost to Baylor. He proved that he's an elite talent throughout the season and is bound to have a great rookie campaign.
Here are 3 bold predictions for Jalen Suggs' rookie season with the Orlando Magic.
Makes All-Rookie First Team
Suggs is one of the most talented players in the newest draft class, and he should make the All-Rookie First Team. He will be on a Magic team that will be just focusing on the development of the young core. This will be beneficial for Suggs as he can play freely and find a rhythm in the NBA.
Suggs will likely be the main ball handler along with Cole Anthony. The two dynamic guards project to make a great young backcourt with a ton of scoring potential.
Averages 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists
One of the biggest qualities of Jalen Suggs is his all-around game. He can do everything at a high level, making him a very well-balanced player. He put up across-the-board numbers in college and he is totally capable of putting up the same in his rookie campaign.
Suggs is going to a situation where he will be looked upon to score and facilitate. That will allow him to get a lot of scoring opportunities as well as assists. As far as rebounding, Suggs is a great rebounding guard that can get five boards per outing.
Finishes top 3 in Rookie of the Year
Suggs is one of the premier rookies, but it is not a guarantee that he finishes top 3 in Rookie of the Year. This year's batch of rookies is really stacked at the top end. Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green, and Evan Mobley are all projected to be generational talents.
Suggs will have a tough road ahead of him to finish top 3 in Rookie of the Year, but he has the talent to do it. He is also in a great situation to do it as the Magic are focused on developing the young nucleus. Suggs can score from any level, which makes him tough for defenders to guard. It's hard to double team him as well, due to his ability to find open teammates.
Jalen Suggs is already a leader at a young age and has experience playing in big games as he played in multiple in college. Look for him to come in and make an instant impact for the Magic.