#1 Jalen Suggs – Guard – Gonzaga
One of the most fascinating players to watch in this draft class and a player that has a tremendous upside and future in the NBA is Jalen Suggs. The 6’4” freshman from Gonzaga is one of the most intriguing NBA prospects this year because of how versatile he is as a guard. Not only is he extremely talented, but he is a guy that has that “it” factor when it comes to being a combo-guard in the NBA and someone that can definitely fill many seats in an arena.
Being one of the top athletes in this year’s draft class, Jalen Suggs is not only great in transition, but he is great in the half-court and he is a terrific pick-and-roll passer that can find his open teammates off-the-drive. While he can be a streaky shooter, as he is shooting just 32.2% from the three-point line this season with Gonzaga, there are no major concerns about his jumper and his game will translate perfectly to the NBA.
Jalen Suggs has arguably the most explosive first-step in this draft class and there is really no slowing him down once he gets going. He is a lot like Ja Morant when pushing the ball in transition in the sense that both guards tend to use their quickness and athleticism to push the ball ahead of their opponents and get to the rim with ease.
Overall though, Jalen Suggs is most comparable to being a hybrid between Deron Williams and Jason Kidd. I hate comparing college prospects to Hall-of-Famers and All-Star level players, but Suggs has the intangibles and the skill set to match up perfectly with a blend of a Deron Williams/Jason Kidd type of player in the NBA.
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The Toronto Raptors are going to need to address their backcourt sooner than later, which is why they could take a long look at a guy like Suggs. Kyle Lowry is not in the long-term future of the Raptors anymore with him being 35-years-old and they need someone who can command the floor next to Fred VanVleet, which is why Jalen Suggs would be a great fit for them.
He fits that athletic mold they want in their guards and with him being able to make a difference on both ends of the floor, Jalen Suggs could join the Raptors and immediately become a leader for them on and off-the-court. He is a strong ball-handler, a crafty finisher and a really fluid facilitator, which is why Suggs is one of the top guard prospects in this year’s draft and why he should absolutely be considered with the No. 4 overall pick by Toronto.
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They did draft Malachi Flynn in 2020 in the first-round to be a point guard of the future, but passing up on Jalen Suggs seems foolish for the Raptors to do. He can play on or off-the-ball, is an above-average defender, and has no problem pushing the pace of play in transition.
Jalen Suggs would be the perfect replacement for Kyle Lowry, should the Raptors let him walk in free agency, and drafting Suggs 4th overall would be one of the best picks in this year’s draft.
