Jalen Suggs is a professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Orlando Magic in the NBA as of November 2024. Born on June 3, 2001, Suggs started his basketball career at Minnehaha Academy in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In high school, he became Minnesota's first athlete to win both Mr. Basketball and Mr. Football awards in the same year. This performance earned him recognition as MaxPreps Athlete of the Year. After high school, Suggs chose to play college basketball at Gonzaga University. During the 2021 WCC Tournament, he was named the Most Outstanding Player. His most memorable college moment came during the 2021 Final Four when he hit a dramatic 40-foot buzzer-beater to defeat UCLA 93-90 in overtime. This spectacular shot sent Gonzaga to the championship game and secured his place in NCAA tournament history. His college career was decorated with honors, including First Team All-West Coast Conference, Newcomer of the Year, and a spot on the All-Freshman Team.
The Orlando Magic selected Suggs as the fifth overall pick in the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft. His defensive prowess is evident in his performance during the 2023-24 season, where he averaged 1.4 steals per game and earned a place on the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. This achievement made him the third player in Magic history to receive this honor, and the first since Dwight Howard in 2011-12. The Magic showed their confidence in Suggs by offering him a five-year contract extension worth $150.5 million in October 2024. Before this extension takes effect, he will complete his rookie contract in the 2024-25 season, earning $4,510,905 as per Spotrac. During the 2023-24 season, Suggs posted solid numbers, averaging 12.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game.
Jalen Suggs Siblings
Jalen Suggs comes from a basketball-oriented family and has two younger sisters, Jennica and Jaelle Suggs. Jennica Suggs, who graduated from Minnehaha Academy in 2024, stands at 5'11" and plays as a Shooting Guard as per her college profile. Jennica maintains an active presence on social media, particularly on Instagram, where she has built a following of 8,947 followers as of November 2024. She regularly shares posts about her life and basketball journey.
The youngest sibling, Jaelle Suggs, is also pursuing basketball and currently plays for the Southeastern Preparatory Academy Falcons as per her X posts.
FAQs on Jalen Suggs
A. Jalen Suggs plays for the Orlando Magic in the NBA as of November 2024.
A. Jalen Suggs plays as a Point Guard and Shooting Guard.
A. Jalen Suggs holds American nationality.
A. Jalen Suggs averaged 12.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game in the season 2023-24.