Houston Rockets: 3 reasons to select Jalen Suggs in the NBA Draft

The Houston Rockets need to think long and hard about who they select with the number two pick in the 2021 NBA draft. After losing the most games in the league last season, it is imperative they find a franchise player with the selection.

The Rockets have a small but promising young core composed of Christian Wood, Kevin Porter Jr, Jae’Sean Tate, and Kenyon Martin Jr, but a lot of work still needs to be done to transform this roster into a playoff team. While Jalen Green and Evan Mobley have become the two frontrunners for the number two pick, there is another player worthy of consideration– Jalen Suggs.

The 6’4 point guard helped lead the Gonzaga Bulldogs to a near-flawless season and his strong leadership qualities are something the Rockets sorely lacked last season. Intangibles don’t show up in the stat sheet, the advanced analytics, or on your fantasy team, but they have always impacted a team’s win-loss record.

Is it a coincidence that wherever Chris Paul goes his team exceeds expectations? Or is Chris Paul a great leader who takes pride in elevating his teammates? Jalen Suggs might not post the most eye-popping stats out of the trio vying for the Rockets’ affection, but there is a great chance that wherever he goes, wins will follow.

At the end of the day, the Rockets want to win and talent has long been the ticket to victories. However, talent is expressed in many different ways. From a silky jump shot to a hard screen, a devastating handle to pinpoint positional awareness, and individual greatness to elevating leadership, talent comes in all shapes and sizes.

Jalen Suggs is no doubt a talented basketball player but his ability in the grey unmeasurable areas of the game is beyond compare. These are three reasons why the Rockets should select Jalen Suggs with the second overall pick.