Johnny Juzang Withdraws from NBA Draft
UCLA guard Johnny Juzang made a name for himself as the breakout star of the NCAA tournament as the Bruins advanced all the way to the Final Four. Some fans and media (me included) recognized him a potential sleeper in the 2021 draft due to his performance. But Wednesday, Juzang announced he was withdrawing from the NBA draft and returning to the Bruins.
Juzang helped lead UCLA on a Cinderella run in the NCAA tournament in March, winning five games to go from First Four to Final Four. He had 23 points in the opening win over Michigan State, followed by 27 points against BYU. He was at his best in the final two games, a win over Michigan and a loss to Gonzaga. Juzang went for 28 points in the victory over the Wolverines, and his 29 points nearly led UCLA to an upset of the top-seeded Bulldogs in the Final Four.
In the Bruins' six NCAA tournament games, Juzang averaged 22.8 points and shot 50.9% from the field. His 137 points were the second-highest NCAA tournament total in UCLA history. On the season, the 6-foot-6 shooting guard averaged 16.0 points and 4.1 rebounds.
Despite the breakout postseason, Juzang was only projected as a late second-round pick in the NBA draft. He was ranked No. 53 in ESPN's latest draft rankings.
Juzang's return likely cements UCLA as a preseason top-five team for the 2021-22 campaign. Cronin returns every player from the Bruins' NCAA tournament run, while also adding five-star prospect Peyton Watson, ESPN 100 guard Will McClendon and Rutgers graduate transfer Myles Johnson. Chris Smith, who missed the second half of the season, opted to leave for the NBA draft, while Cody Riley announced Wednesday he planned to return to UCLA.
