UCLA's Johnny Juzang Set For Pre-NBA Draft Workout With Indiana Pacers
The Bruins' leading scorer has had a busy month preparing to go pro, but he isn't done just yet.
After working out for the Sacramento Kings and Minnesota Timberwolves last week, UCLA men's basketball guard Johnny Juzang took part in the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago. Next up on his pre-NBA Draft schedule is a workout with the Indiana Pacers on Monday, the team announced Friday morning.
The Pacers will also have Alabama guard Keon Ellis, Baylor guard James Akinjo, Marquette forward Justin Lewis, Gonzaga guard Andrew Nembhard and Colorado State forward David Roddy in town for workouts.
This will be the third individual NBA workout this offseason for Juzang, who declared for the draft on April 20.
Juzang declared for the 2021 NBA Draft and worked out for several teams last spring, in addition to meeting with 15 teams at the NBA Combine. Juzang wound up returning to Westwood, and now finds himself in a similar position one year later having met with more teams at the combine and across the country.
The third-year guard averaged 15.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game on .436/.356/.854 shooting splits across his two years at UCLA after transferring from Kentucky. Juzang made waves when he led the Bruins to the Final Four in 2021 with 22.8 points per game in the NCAA tournament, and he once again led the team in points per game as a junior.
Juzang made the All-Pac-12 Second Team in 2021 before achieving First Team status in 2022, in addition to making the NABC's All-American Third Team to cap off his collegiate career.
Despite all the production and recognition Juzang earned the past two years, he currently projects as a possible second round pick.
Jeremy Woo released his Top 100 Big Board for Sports Illustrated on May 6, and Juzang came in at No. 81. ESPN has Juzang at No. 78, NBADraft.net has him at No. 51 and CBS Sports has him at No. 47.
The Pacers are picking at No. 6 overall in the first round, a slot that Juzang is very unlikely to go in barring a major shift in his stock. Indiana also has picks No. 31 and 58, though, giving them the selections at the very start and very end of the second round.
Veteran wings TJ Warren and Lance Stephenson are pending free agents, and guard Terry Taylor's contract is non-guaranteed. Even though the Pacers have Buddy Hield, Malcolm Brogdon and Chris Duarte set at the top of their wing rotation, the depth behind them is somewhere between uncertain and unproven.
The NBA Draft is set for June 23 at 5 p.m.
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