Basketball has taken Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs around the world.
In high school he traveled to Greece and Argentina for various FIBA World Cups while representing the United States. In college and the NBA, Suggs has seen all parts of the U.S. and Canada.
This past weekend, however, the Minnesota native made the trek across the Atlantic Ocean for something larger than sports.
Suggs, along with Cavaliers guard Darius Garland, Heat center Bam Adebayo, and Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, was one of many current and former NBA players serving as a coach at the Basketball Without Borders Africa camp in Johannesburg, South Africa.
“To have the chance to not only play but to come and teach, help out and assist to grow the game, I feel I would be doing myself a disservice in not using that and taking advantage of that opportunity to not only grow myself, my mindset and all of my experiences but to help grow the game and bring love, joy and knowledge to the kids in America and now globally,” Suggs told the Sentinel via a phone interview on the final day of the camp Monday.
Suggs, Garland, Adebayo and Kuminga were joined by current and former NBA, WNBA and FIBA players, and coaches including J.B. Bickerstaff (Cavs), Darvin Ham (Lakers) and Mike Brown (Kings), among others.
The group coached 80 of the top high-school-age prospects from across Africa at the American International School of Johannesburg and guided them through activities, including movement efficiency drills, offensive and defensive skill stations, 3-point contests, 5-on-5 games and life skills and leadership development sessions.
“The biggest thing I noticed the most was just how genuine they all were and how eager they were to learn,” Suggs said. “They were locked in all of the practices and the drills and they were asking questions. They had high energy and were just grateful to be here.
“I really adopted that mindset the same way,” he added. “This is an opportunity that’s very rare and not a lot of people get to come do this. It aligned perfectly with my values in using my platform to give back and experience new things. It was a perfect opportunity and it was great timing for it.”
The chance for Suggs to travel to South Africa and coach the game he loves comes in the middle of an important offseason for the Magic guard.
The No. 5 draft pick in 2021 from Gonzaga, he’s entering his third season.
“It’s been a great summer so far and a healthy summer not only working out and getting better but also growing as a player and person,” Suggs said. “It gave me another perfect opportunity to continue to grow.
“We did a good job in helping the kids grow, slow down, execute and take things back that we talked about.”
Beyond practicing basketball, coaches and players participated in several community outreach initiatives around Johannesburg, including a hospital visit and a “Her Time to Play” seminar for the female campers on Friday, and a court unveiling in the Alexandra Township on Saturday. They also lead a development clinic for local coaches on Sunday.
Suggs understood the impact he was making more than 8,000 miles away from Orlando.
“They were all grateful to be here,” he said. “They were excited to be here and wanted to learn. That’s something that I’ve definitely got to take back and apply to myself — being grateful for each and every moment and opportunity because nothing is promised.
“[I am] looking to carry that mindset and that’s the mentality.”
Suggs chooses a keyword or phrase to focus on before the start of each season. He has one for 2023-24.
“This year it’s going to be consistency and gratefulness because I have an amazing opportunity to play basketball at the highest level against the best competition in the world and provide for my family while I’m doing it,” he said. “I just want to take full advantage of that and not leave any regrets behind.”
He also provided the campers with a message from his experience.
“I was just telling them to continue to have fun with this game,” he said. “It can literally take you places where you never thought you would be. [As] a little kid from St. Paul, Minnesota now a 22-year-old in Africa teaching the game, playing the game at the highest level — just having them understand that anything is achievable.”
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Suggs told the group of players, which included 10 NBA Academy Africa prospects, to be consistent with their work to improve.
“That was one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from Year 1 to Year 2 and even to this summer,” he said. “The consistency and the work will always show. It may not be the next day or the next week but if you continue to work, you’ll feel and see the difference.
“If you’re consistent and do the right thing with the game, it will give that back to you tenfold.”
He’s hoping to return in the future not only for the campers but himself, too.
“Whether they know it or not, these kids helped me,” Suggs said. “I had a lot of fun, learned a lot and I’m really looking forward to doing it again because this is a dope experience being able to coach, learn, teach and be around basketball in a different aspect.
“I’m extremely thankful for this weekend because it was really important for me.”
Email Jason Beede at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @therealBeede.
