‘I’m a fan of his’: DeMar DeRozan impressed with play of Jalen Suggs

DeRozan and Suggs shared a brief conversation on Sunday after the Magic defeated the Bulls in Orlando.

On a night in which DeMar DeRozan dropped a season-high 41 points, the Chicago Bulls forward took a moment to recognize Orlando Magic rookie Jalen Suggs.

DeRozan scored 15 points alone in the fourth quarter, but the outburst wasn’t enough as the short-handed Bulls fell to the Magic, 114-95. Meanwhile, Suggs scored 11 of his 15 points in the final period to thwart the Bulls’ comeback attempt.

Chicago had just 10 players available with Zach LaVine, Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso among those sidelined due to injury. The team received just 10 points from its second unit, compared to the 51 points the Magic got, which left DeRozan to carry the bulk of the scoring load.

DeRozan went 15-of-21 from the field, and 11-of-13 from the free-throw line, but did not attempt a 3-point shot. He is just the fifth player in the NBA since 2015 to score at least 40 points without attempting a single 3-pointer.

Afterward, Suggs was left in awe of DeRozan’s performance.

It is just mutual respect. I told him: ‘It is a great honor to be playing on the court with you.’ The things he did tonight were crazy. He was hitting shots over two, three people knowing the double-team was coming and there was nothing you can do about it.

With guys like that, especially ones you grew up watching, you just gotta tip your hat to him. It was good to see him hoop and share a small conversation but it is just always good to be on the court with those guys, especially being young. Those are people I’ve watched growing up.

The outing by Suggs was his sixth since returning from a thumb injury that cost him 20 games. He has scored in double figures in each game, including a career-high 22 points and nine assists on Friday in a loss against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Without Suggs in the lineup, the Magic often missed his competitiveness and playmaking on both ends of the floor. From his defense to his scoring punch in the fourth quarter, Suggs had his fingerprints all over their victory against the Bulls.

“I’ve been a fan of his since he went to school in Minnesota,” DeRozan said of Suggs. “I always watched him, even when he went to Gonzaga. He is a hell of a talent. I’m a fan of his. I have been a fan of his without him even knowing. (I just told him) to keep going: ‘You’re a hell of a talent. You can be very successful in this league.’ I’m rooting for him.”

Suggs has emerged as one of the top rookie players this season and has often drawn praise from opposing players and coaches. He likely won’t be in the conversation to win Rookie of the Year after missing so much time but has the potential to be one of the best players from the draft class.

The opportunity to face off against DeRozan and share a conversation with him will likely have a lasting impression on Suggs after watching him growing up. He will certainly be hoping to have some 40-point games of his own one day.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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