Jalen Suggs Climbs Into Top 3 in Rookie of the Year Odds
By Peter Dewey
Jalen Suggs may have fallen to No. 5 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, but he’s out to prove something at the NBA’s Summer League.
The Orlando Magic point guard dropped 24 points on 9-for-22 shooting to go along with nine rebounds in his debut, and it has helped push him up the rankings for the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award at WynnBET.
Suggs, who will face off with No. 3 overall pick Evan Mobley tonight, is now third on the odds list behind Cade Cunningham (+210) and Jalen Green (+275). Suggs has +600 odds, but he’s overtaken Mobley (+650) and broken the tie he originally had with No. 4 overall pick Scottie Barnes for the fourth-best odds.
I’ve already staked my claim on Jalen Green winning the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award when he was at +400 odds, but Suggs is in a similar situation in Orlando to Green in Houston and could make a run at the award himself.
The Magic are clearly in a rebuild, and Suggs is going to have a chance to take the role as the team’s primary ball-handler away from either Markelle Fultz or Cole Anthony.
Anthony shot just 1-for-9 in Orlando’s overtime win over the Golden State Warriors and he struggled with his efficiency (just 39.7 percent from the field) during his rookie season.
It’s way too early to claim that Suggs will immediately step in and be the top guard for Orlando, but the No. 5 pick was highly-touted coming into the draft, and if he continues to play well in Summer League his odds are only going to rise.
The Magic are five-point favorites in tonight’s matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers and are -200 on the moneyline to get the win. Suggs can show that he belongs ahead of Mobley in the early stages of the Rookie of the Year conversation with another strong performance tonight.
Who is your way-too-early pick for Rookie of the Year? Make your pick now on WynnBET.