NBA Draft Preview 2022: UCLA Men's Basketball G Johnny Juzang
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The 2022 NBA Draft is taking place in Brooklyn on Thursday night, and a handful of Bruins are hoping to hear their names called.
There hasn't been a UCLA men's basketball product selected in three years, with 2020 and 2021 marking the first back-to-back drafts without a Bruin since 1957 and 1958. Of course, there has only been one draft-bound player over the past two years – guard Chris Smith, who was still recovering from a torn ACL when he was passed over.
This time around, guard Johnny Juzang, guard/forward Peyton Watson and guard Jules Bernard all forgoed their remaining collegiate eligibility to pursue careers in the NBA. With three representatives in the draft pool, UCLA could produce its first draft pick since Jaylen Hands in 2019, or maybe even its first first round pick since Aaron Holiday in 2018.
All Bruins is breaking down scouting reports, stats and predictions for the biggest names coming out of Westwood this June, and Juzang is next on the list.
June 21: G/F Peyton Watson
Stats
2019-20 (Kentucky): 28 games played, 12.3 minutes per game, 2.9 points per game, 1.9 rebounds per game, 0.3 assists per game, 0.2 steals per game, 0.1 blocks per game, 37.7% field goal shooting, 32.6% 3-point shooting, 83.3% free throw shooting, 8.4 PER
2020-21 (UCLA): 27 games played, 32.3 minutes per game, 16.0 points per game, 4.1 rebounds per game, 1.6 assists per game, 0.8 steals per game, 0.3 blocks per game, 44.1% field goal shooting, 35.3% 3-point shooting, 87.7% free throw shooting, 19.7 PER (All-Pac-12 Second Team)
2021-22 (UCLA): 30 games played, 31.8 minutes per game, 15.6 points per game, 4.7 rebounds per game, 1.8 assists per game, 0.7 steals per game, 0.1 blocks per game, 43.2% field goal shooting, 36.0% 3-point shooting, 83.5% free throw shooting, 18.1 PER (All-Pac-12 First Team, NABC All-American Third Team)
Measurements
Age: 21 years old
Height (w/o Shoes): 6-foot-5.25
Height (w/ Shoes): 6-foot-6.5
Weight: 209 pounds
Hand Length: 8.5 inches
Hand Width: 9.5 inches
Wingspan: 6-foot-11
Standing Reach: 8-foot-6.5
Lane Agility: 11.03 seconds
Shuttle Run: 3.29 seconds
Three Quarter Sprint: 3.28 seconds
Standing Vertical Leap: 27.5 inches
Max Vertical Leap: 32.5 inches
What The Experts Are Saying
Jorrye Nixon, NBADraft.net: "... [Juzang's junior] season was also productive and UCLA made the Sweet 16, and further showcased the bunch scoring and shooting touch that are Juzang’s calling cards … Still, some of the things he needed to work on coming into this past season (ie defense, strength/physicality, shot-creation off the bounce, feel for passing) are largely still being called to question despite him being a more experienced prospect … But there is something to be said about a player with his size as a SG and his ability to play best when the lights are brightest, and he could settle into a role as an off-ball shooter/scorer in the NBA … He has a wide draft range and could hear his name at the end of the 1st round or anywhere in the 2nd, but a player with his production, experience and a noteworthy skill to hang his hat on is certainly worth keeping an eye on and could prove to be a steal in the right situation."
DKNation: "A Final Four run from the play-in game spot in 2021 helped push Juzang onto the national scene. Many felt he’d go pro last season but the guard chose to return to school to try to win a championship with the Bruins. Juzang is a proven scorer at every level, but was only able to make the Sweet 16 last season. STRENGTHS Juzang can put the ball in the basket with the best of them. He’s able to take over a game with his scoring ability. His return to school shows a desire to improve, and that’ll play well at the next level since Juzang is a fringe first-round prospect at best heading into the draft. WEAKNESSES Even though he had a desire to get better across the board, there isn’t much evidence to suggest that happened. His physical profile projects well for defensive purposes at the next level, but he’s unproven on that end of the floor. Juzang doesn’t distribute the ball at a high rate either."
Rankings
CBS Sports: No. 14 SG, No. 50 overall
NBADraft.net: No. 13 G/F, No. 65 overall
Sports Illustrated: No. 11 SG, No. 81 overall
The Athletic: No. 35 Wing, No. 84 overall
Prediction
Had Juzang left for the draft last offseason, he likely would have had enough good will and hype to be an early-to-mid second round pick despite his flaws.
A year later, almost all of said goodwill and hype has died down, and his flaws are just as prominent as they were in 2021.
Juzang is still far from a lockdown perimeter defender, his playmaking skills have stagnated, and he still doesn't go to the rim to draw fouls very often. As most experts and scouts have noted, his play peaked in March Madness last year, and while that run to the Final Four was certainly an iconic breakout moment, it has been a year and a half since then.
That doesn't mean there aren't major pros to his game, though, pros that NBA teams will surely appreciate. Juzang's shot creation is top tier, and his length at the shooting guard position should help him get off 3s and midrange jumpers even over pro defenders.
Film from Juzang's pro day this spring showed that his jumper was as automatic, and there are certainly teams who will be looking for a scoring option that can contribute off the bench once or twice when injuries thin out the normal roster.
Juzang is not a long-term project, and his ceiling may not be much higher than where he is right now. Whichever team scoops him up will sign him to a two-way, likely with the expectation of a handful of minutes at the NBA level over the next few years.
The Utah Jazz were one of the first teams to host Juzang for a workout, and they are the kind of team that could add him as a priority undrafted free agent given the fact that they don't currently own a pick on Thursday.
If they hold onto Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, the Jazz will presumably be looking to make another playoff push as a lower-half seed. With end-of-the-roster options like Danuel House Jr. on expiring contracts and 35-year-old Rudy Gay as the only offensive-oriented wing off the bench, Utah could be looking to add a cheap scorer like Juzang.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are another team interested, with sources telling All Bruins that he flew to OKC for a workout on June 20, and the Lakers worked him out as well. The Jazz just feel like the right fit timeline-wise, and if they make a draft night deal that nets them a late second rounder, they could end up taking Juzang there instead of waiting until free agency.
Johnny Juzang: Utah Jazz, Undrafted Free Agent
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