Magic's Jalen Suggs returns home, a visit packed with activity and emotion

When the Orlando Magic team plane arrived in Minnesota following a game in Detroit, it was a little past 1 a.m. on Sunday. Jalen Suggs wasn't tired. The Minnehaha Academy graduate was happy to be home.

"I had the biggest smile on my face, just knowing that I was back in Minneapolis, back home," Suggs said before Monday's game.

This will the Magic's only visit to Target Center this season, but Suggs, who was the No. 5 pick in this summer's draft, doesn't mind that the only visit home comes early in the season.

"It's kind of a weird feeling," Suggs said. "Now I'm coming back home. This isn't where I normally reside and my No. 1 place where I play at. It's been a little emotional, honestly."

The timing of the trip home allowed Suggs some quality family time on Sunday, when he said he got to visit with his grandma, aunts, uncles and cousins and have some home cooking. Then it was off to the Vikings game at night.

"I had a good time this weekend," Suggs said.

Then it was back to the business of basketball Monday, a business that Suggs said "comes fast," and Suggs is experiencing some typical rookie struggles, like trying to find his shot early in the season.

"I knew it was a lot of games, and I knew they came quick, but until you have to go take a flight every day, every other day, you don't really understand it," Suggs said. "Other than that, I love it. Having family come down to see games and being able to have them in here with the atmosphere and everything, I've enjoyed it."

Through seven games entering Monday, Suggs was shooting only 30%, including 25% from three-point range. He was averaging 12.7 points in 29.4 minutes per night. Suggs has also been adjusting to the speed of an NBA game.

"It's just an acclimation period, and one of those things you can't rush," Suggs said. "Sometimes you've got to go through the ups and downs and take it for what it is. But I'm feeling more comfortable every game that we play. I'm understanding the pace and starting to find my game and my rhythm in that."

Suggs couldn't count how many friends and family would be at Target Center, a place where he has a few memories from his time at Minnehaha, which won three consecutive state championships while Suggs was there.

"To be here now, it's kind of crazy," Suggs said. "It's a little surreal."

Those memories came flooding back as Suggs was in the arena for shootaround and he was hoping to make a few more Monday.

"This is one of the first times I've been speechless in an interview," Suggs said. "I'm just trying to get in here, see everybody, feel the environment and then get to playing with my guys."

Suggs scored 15 points in 32 minutes in the Magic's 115-97 victory over the Wolves on Monday night.

Patrick Beverley appeared on the injury report after shootaround Monday because of left calf soreness and ended up missing the game.

Coach Chris Finch said Beverley was getting attention for the injury during Saturday's 93-91 loss to Denver. He said Beverley was a game-time decision. It's the second game Beverley has missed this season, with the first coming opening night because of a suspension.