2021 NBA Draft Big Board — 4. Jalen Suggs, Gonzaga
A natural born leader, Jalen Suggs carried Gonzaga to the national championship game as a freshman. He is pretty firmly entrenched in the top four, and should not fall past this spot on July 29, no matter how fervently Toronto believes in Scottie Barnes or Jonathan Kuminga. Suggs is a dynamic, well-rounded talent who can help the Raptors get back in the playoff picture next season.
Suggs is a confident scorer and playmaker, with shades of several different All-Star guards. He gets to his spots with a tight handle, and has the explosiveness to beat closeouts and pick apart skewed defenses. When stationed off the ball, he does all the little things. He also defends his butt off, and should only get more consistent as a 3-point shooter.
2021 NBA Draft Big Board — 3. Jalen Green, G-League Ignite
The Year of Jalen. While Suggs is a measured, fun playmaker, Jalen Green is easily the most tantalizing perimeter scorer on the board. He’s an absurd athlete who can fly around the court and use funky angles to generate space. His bag is deep, with a reliable 3-point stroke, a diverse in-between game, and the ability to play above the rim.
Green grew a lot in his lone G-League season, adding more change-of-pace moves and becoming a deadly off-ball player, in addition to his well-documented success scoring in isolation. He has room to grow playmaking for others, but the indicators are positive. At 6-foot-5 with long arms and elite speed, one should expect Green to become a good defender down the line, too.