Gonzaga came into the 2020-21 season as the No. 1 team in college basketball. There’s a good reason why they are the top team in college basketball, and that’s because of the number of talented players they have on their team. Gonzaga has been a powerhouse in basketball for many years, and this year could be the year where they win a national title.

One of the top freshmen in the country plays for Gonzaga, and his name is Jalen Suggs. Suggs was an amazing athlete in high school, and he could have played football in college.

Jalen Suggs had an impressive performance in his college debut

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Gonzaga opened the 2020-21 season against a powerhouse in Kansas. Jalen Suggs was ready to make his college debut, and he showed why he’s one of the top freshmen in the country. Gonzaga put together an impressive performance as a team as they defeated No. 6 Kansas 102-90. For a team to score over 100 points in their first game against a team like Kansas just shows how much talent Gonzaga has. 

Suggs showed no signs of nervousness in his first game as he finished with 24 points, eight assists, four rebounds, and just one turnover. The freshman came to play, and he made his presence known on the court. With the ball in his hands, Suggs knows how to make the right play, whether it’s finding the open teammate or taking it upon himself to score. Suggs is the perfect leader for this Gonzaga team, and he’s the type of player that can lead them to a national title.

When Suggs committed to Gonzaga, he became the highest-ranked recruit in school history. As the season progresses, Suggs will continue to grow as a player and learn how to lead his team. Gonzaga will be a team to look out for this season and be at the top of the rankings.

Jalen Suggs was a standout basketball player in high school

Suggs is a native of Saint Paul, Minnesota, and he attended Minnehaha Academy. He immediately made an impact when he entered high school. As a freshman, he averaged 21.5 points, eight rebounds, and five assists and led his team to a state championship. Suggs was named to MaxPreps Freshman All-American first team. After his freshman year, Suggs led his school to win the next two state championships.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Minnehaha was not able to defend their state championship. As a senior, Suggs earned MaxPreps All-American first team and Minnesota Mr. Basketball honors. He also was named Minnesota AP Player of the Year. Suggs finished his career at Minnehaha as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 2,945 points. 

Jalen Suggs was also a standout quarterback on the football field

While Suggs excelled on the basketball court, he did the same on the football field. As a junior, he led his team to a state championship in 2018. According to ESPN, Suggs was a dual-threat quarterback and had offers from Ohio State, Iowa State, Minnesota, Iowa, and Nebraska. During his senior year, he was named Minnesota Mr. Football.

Suggs became the first athlete in Minnesota history to win the state’s Mr. Basketball and Mr. Football awards in the same season. He was one of the top high school athletes in the country, and if he didn’t pursue a basketball career in college, he certainly could have pursued a football career.