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Rolling up now into our number two, what's going on live in Southern California. I am Jim

Rom. Nice to have you here with professional great products for every industry. Granger as you covered, call or click Granger.com or stop on by. All right, phone lines are jamming up. We've got our beef segment coming up next hour. You want to hit that. If you're on hold, stay there. First things first, we start this hour by having a conversation with a guard for the Orlando Magic. He is in his fifth year now, played his college ball, of course, at Gonzaga, where he was an All-American this season. He's averaging 13 points, four rebounds, and five assists per game. The Magic are 13 in 9. They've won three of their last four, and they host the Heat tomorrow night. We're joined right now by Jalen Suggs. Jalen, it's been a minute, man. Great to have you back. How you doing, dude? Jim, what's going on, brother? I'm well. How are you? Good, dude. Good. Great to see you. So listen, let me start right here. Despite losing the Spurs last night in the final seconds, you've won six of your last eight. From a team standpoint, what are you most pleased about after the first few months of the year and how things are coming together? I would say our direction. I think we have really good conversations. You know, we're in the locker room, pre-game, halftime, post-game. I think we're on the right track doing the things necessary to continue winning and go achieve our goals. Not as hard to continue to do throughout the flow of the season.

Knowing fatigue sets in. You know, you've got to do it on the hard days and stay consistent with the habits that we're building. But I think we're doing everything right. Young guys are playing well. I think Noah and Jason have done a great job. And staying present with us and locked in, you know, through being in the other lineups and provide a huge part, you know, like Chase did last night,

and like Noah's done the past couple. So, yeah, I think we're doing everything right over here and I just got to stay with it. I like it. Jaylen Suggs joining us, you know, seems to me also the team's depth has been key, right? You got Power forward Paula Bank Carroll, sideline with the last 10 games with that groin injury. how big has it been for other guys to step up like Franz, who's bawling out and leading the team in scoring per game? It seems, man. You know, you get more opportunities, you know, to get shots up, you know, playing a bit of a role, you know, that changes when guys come in and out because you sacrifice for the team. You know, that's what we do.

And, you know, so just having, you know, knowing that he went out, you know, we had discussions on everybody stepping up, playing with a bit more swag, a big more confidence, and finding our own, you know, so that when he gets back, you know, we can all mesh, you know, and now that trust and belief in each other, you know, leads to high level all offense being played. So I think everybody's doing a great job staying like the internet.

I mean, you see the results.

You know, leads to high-level offense being played. So I think everybody's doing a great job staying locked in and you've seen the results. And everybody is hoping and finding their way right now. Jay and Suggs joining us. You know, I talked to Jamal Mosley in October and he told me how hard, how hard you were working to get back from your knee surgery. I mean, can you tell me like the fans don't really understand, right? Like you go away, we don't see you.

How challenging is a rehab like that? And do you feel like you're back to where you were prior to the injury? Yeah, very tough. Rehab is a lonely, lonely period. You know, you're away from the game that you love, not only, but that has come rhythm. It's become routine. and I think that was the hardest part for me.

You know, it was going on about a year, you know, before that first game of the season. So I'm really just trying to stay connected with the game, you know, not forget who I am, you know, who I was prior to the injury, you know, and now kind of mesh the person I'll become after that, you know, with who I was and you find a good, happy medium. But it's hard, man, surgery is already traumatic to the body,

especially the load that goes on our body during NBA season is not normal. So, you know,

knowing all that comes into play, you know, trying to stay consistent with strengthening, rehab,

our medical team has done a great job with me taking me under their care and not missing any steps. So yeah, I feel good. I think we've got more space to improve and to get back to that self in some ways, but I'm in a good space. Dude, I think that, first of all, I'm really happy to hear that. I think that's so interesting what you just said that, like, when it's ripped from you and then all of a sudden you're not doing what you've always done and it's your identity. Like, it's not just the thing you love to do. It is your identity and it's ripped from you. And then you come back and then you're different than you were when you were injured previously, right? So what was your identity then? And then how did your identity change um i think my identities always came both uh outside of the basketball court and who i am as a human and in christ um that's really you know a big part of what helped me through this you know past year um being in and out and then having the game go away was, you know, life continued on.

And it made me realize again, it was super humbling just in terms of that I am not basketball.

I'm not a basketball player.

It's something I do.

But it's a gift that I've been given, you know, to be on this platform and get back to

others through my play through the things that I receive, you know, by playing the game of basketball, money, time, again, influence. So I think that's from my identity lies.

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