Former Gonzaga star Jalen Suggs named to 2024 USA Basketball Select Team
Between preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and the NBA Summer League, there’s going to be a strong Gonzaga men’s basketball presence next month in Las Vegas.
With just over a week to go until training camp, USA Basketball announced the 12-man select team roster that will help prepare the senior men’s national team for their journey to Paris. Of the current NBA, G League and international players selected to go down to Las Vegas, former Bulldogs and current Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs was among the young crop of talent chosen for the assignment. Jamahl Mosley, head coach of the Magic, will join Suggs for the trip down to the desert as the USA Basketball Select Team head coach.
Suggs’ inclusion on the select team roster sets up a reunion with his old college coach Mark Few, who will serve as an assistant coach with Team USA for the second straight summer. The 6-foot-5 guard was a consensus All-American, West Coast Conference Rookie of the Year and WCC Tournament MVP in his lone season at Gonzaga (2020-21). Suggs was selected fifth overall in the 2021 NBA Draft by the Magic.
Suggs will train with the senior national team as it gears up for its exhibition game against Team Canada on July 10 at T-Mobile Arena. The Canadian roster features 13 NBA players, including former Gonzaga standouts Kelly Olynyk and Andrew Nembhard.
Also named to the USA Select Team were Jalen Duren (Detroit Pistons), Cooper Flagg (Duke University), Langston Galloway, Nigel Hayes-Davis (Fenerbahçe, Turkey), Trayce Jackson-Davis (Golden State Warriors), Jaime Jaquez Jr. (Miami Heat), Brandon Miller (Charlotte Hornets), Trey Murphy (New Orleans Pelicans), Keegan Murray (Sacramento Kings), Brandin Podziemski (Golden State Warriors), Micah Potter (Utah Jazz/Salt Lake City Stars), Payton Pritchard (Boston Celtics), Jabari Smith Jr. (Houston Rockets) and Amen Thompson (Houston Rockets).
Suggs’ Team USA experience dates back to 2017 and includes gold medals at the 2019 FIBA World Cup, 2018 FIBA U17 World Cup and the 2017 FIBA U16 Americas Championship.
In his third year as a pro, Suggs, who turned 23 earlier this month, was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team after he finished tied for eighth in steals (1.4 per game) and tied for 12th in steals-to-turnover ratio (0.8). The Minnesota native recorded at least one steal in 57 games and two or more steals in 31 games, including a career-high six steals on Nov. 9 against Atlanta. He also had at least one blocked shot 35 times and two or more blocks 11 times, including a career-high-tying three blocked shots on Jan. 12 at Miami.
Suggs helped guide the Magic to the postseason as the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference. He started 75 games in the regular season and averaged 12.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists. Suggs shot a career-best 39.7% from 3-point range.
Recent NBA Draft picks Julian Strawther (2023) and Anton Watson (2024) look to gain valuable reps in the NBA Summer League at the Thomas & Mack Center. The Las Vegas summer league runs from July 12-22.
COLE FORSMAN
Cole Forsman is a reporter for Gonzaga Nation, a member of Sports Illustrated’s FanNation network. Cole holds a degree in Journalism and Sports Management from Gonzaga University.