BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Former Gonzaga standout Jalen Suggs was selected as the fifth pick in the 2021 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic Thursday.
 
Suggs was the highest Bulldog draft choice since Adam Morrison was the third overall pick by the Charlotte Bobcats in 2006.
 
Suggs was a finalist for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award. He was named a Wooden All-American, and second team All-American by the Associated Press, NABC and USBWA. He averaged 14.37 points per game, at 50.3 percent shooting from the field in 2020-21. He was second in the West Coast Conference steals per game (1.90), third in assists per game (4.53) and eighth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.55). He was named the WCC Freshman of the Week 10 times last season.
 
Suggs was named the league's Player of the Week after scoring a season-high 27 points in a win over then-ranked No. 3 Iowa. The West Saint Paul, Minn., native, scored in double digits 22 times, dished out at least five assists in 16 games and made three or more steals in eight games. Following the regular season, he was named First Team All-WCC and the conference's Newcomer of the Year.
 
After helping Gonzaga make a run to the national championships, Suggs was named All-NCAA Tournament Team. He was also tabbed to the All-West Regional Team in the tournament.
 
Suggs was the 10th Zag to be drafted in the first round, joining John Stockton in 1984 (16th overall pick, Utah Jazz), Dan Dickau in 2002 (28th overall pick, Sacramento Kings), Adam Morrison in 2006 (3rd overall pick, Charlotte Bobcats), Austin Daye in 2009 (15th overall pick, Detroit Pistons), Kelly Olynyk in 2013 (13th overall pick, Dallas Mavericks), Domantas Sabonis in 2016 (11th overall pick, Orlando Magic), Zach Collins in 2017 (10th overall pick, Sacramento Kings) and Rui Hachimura (9th overall pick, Washington Wizards) and Brandon Clarke (21st overall pick, Oklahoma City Thunder) in 2019. Ian Mahinmi was a first round pick and 28th overall by the San Antonio Spurs in 2005. Mahinmi had signed a letter-of-intent to attend Gonzaga for the 2005-06 season, but never enrolled in school.
 
Suggs is the 25th GU player selected in the NBA Draft all-time, and the 13th under Head Coach Mark Few.