Former UCLA Star Has Become Lethal in Massive Area

Former UCLA star Johnny Juzang has become lethal in one very critical area with the Utah Jazz.

Jan 9, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz guard Johnny Juzang (33) shoots an open jump shot against the Miami Heat during the second half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images | Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images

When Johnny Juzang declared for the NBA Draft in 2022, no one was sure what to expect.

Juzang enjoyed a couple of strong seasons for the UCLA Bruins, averaging 16 and 15.6 points per game, respectively, in 2020-21 and 2021-22.

However, due to certain deficiencies that Juzang had in key areas (like defense), there was legitimate concern that he would be able to materialize on the professional level.

Well, we now have our answer.

Juzang ended up going undrafted, but he signed a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz in July 2022. After scarcely playing during his rookie campaign, Juzang went on to develop a prominent role late last year, appearing in 20 contests and averaging 7.2 points per game down the stretch.

Most importantly, Juzang was very efficient, shooting 46.4 percent from the floor and 41.6 percent from three-point range. That led to the 6-foot-7 wing signing an extension with the Jazz.

This year, the 23-year-old has forged a clear-cut niche for Utah, as he has played in 32 games and is posting 7.3 points over 17.8 minutes a night on 41.8/40.0/88.0 shooting splits.

Yes, the overall field-goal percentage could use some work, but this marks the second straight campaign that the UCLA product has shot 40 percent or better from downtown.

Juzang has especially caught fire from distance since December, as he made a robust 46.6 percent of his triples last month and is also off to a good start in January, connecting on 40 percent of his long-range attempts.

In today's NBA, being able to spread the floor is paramount, so Juzang will absolutely be able to stick around so long as he continues his marksmanship.

Will Juzang ever be able to develop into a reliable starter on a contender? That much is up for debate, considering that he still has not expanded his offensive repertoire a whole lot beyond perimeter shooting, and while he has shown improvement defensively, he needs a lot of work.

However, there is no question that Juzang is establishing himself as a legitimate NBA talent and should absolutely be able to produce a sustained career in the league thanks to his one very impressive skill.

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