Jalen Suggs Ready for Another Showdown with Longtime Friend Chet Holmgren
When the Orlando Magic take the floor against the defending champs tonight, it won’t just be another matchup for Jalen Suggs - it’s a reunion, a rivalry, and a reminder of just how far he and Chet Holmgren have come.
Suggs and Holmgren go way back. We’re talking Minnehaha Academy in Minneapolis, where they were high school teammates, and then Gonzaga - though they missed each other by a year. Even without overlapping in college, their bond has remained strong, forged through years of competition and mutual respect.
“Yeah, it’s always fun,” Suggs said after Monday’s practice. “It’s nothing new to us.
We’ve been battling since we were young - heated battles. And we’re both really high competitors.”
That competitive fire has carried into the NBA. Suggs and Holmgren have faced off three times at the pro level so far, with Holmgren’s Thunder holding the edge at 3-0. But for Suggs, it’s about more than the record - it’s about the journey.
“It’s a really cool full circle moment every time we get back together,” he said. “Especially this time around, celebrating and making his first All-Star. Getting to be back in the building that my brother won a championship in is super cool for me.”
There’s genuine admiration there - not just for Holmgren’s game, but for the path he’s taken to get here. And now, as the Magic prepare to face one of the league’s elite teams, Suggs knows the challenge is real.
After a tough loss to the Spurs - the West’s second-best team - Orlando now has to face the defending champs. It’s a test, and Suggs isn’t shying away from it.
“They challenge you to be your best,” he said. “To come out victorious, you have to be that. So for us, it’s a good opportunity to come out and be what we’ve been talking about - put live reps into the things that we’re trying to work on and get better at against one of the best teams in the league.”
That means 48 minutes of locked-in basketball - no lapses, no let-ups. Against a team as talented and disciplined as Holmgren’s squad, anything less than full focus won’t cut it.
“You’ve got to be locked in on details,” Suggs emphasized. “Play with effort, energy, intensity. If you’re able to do those things, you give yourself a chance to win at the end of the game in the clutch.”
That’s the mindset - not just for tonight, but for the bigger picture. Every game is a chance to grow, to sharpen, to compete at the highest level. And when that competition includes a familiar face like Holmgren, it only adds fuel to the fire.
“It’ll be a fun opportunity tonight for all of us,” Suggs said. “I know everybody’s excited - not just for this game, but just to continue to have another night.”
Tonight’s not just about Suggs vs. Holmgren.
It’s about two rising teams, two young stars, and one more chapter in a story that started long before the NBA. But make no mistake - friendship aside, both guys will be looking to come out on top.
And if history is any indication, it’s going to be a battle worth watching.