Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
UCLA junior guard Johnny Juzang has announced that he is declaring for the 2022 NBA Draft. Juzang made the announcement on Instagram on Wednesday morning.
He is projected as the No. 81 Best Available prospect, per ESPN.com.
He joins senior guard Jules Bernard, who averaged 12.8 points and 4.7 rebounds, among UCLA players entering the Draft. Bernard will preserve his college eligibility with the option to return.
Below is a link to Juzang’s Instagram post.
Juzang, a 6-foot-7 guard from nearby Tarzana, Calif., averaged 15.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 57 games (55 starts) for UCLA over the past two seasons. He spent his freshman season at the University of Kentucky before transferring to UCLA prior to the 2020-21 season.
“Johnny has been tremendous for us during his two seasons in Westwood,” said head coach Mick Cronin. “Johnny and his teammates helped us win seven NCAA Tournament games in two postseason trips, leading our program on a thrilling run to the Final Four in 2021. Along the way, he has been a great teammate and a joy to be around every day. We will miss him. We all wish Johnny nothing but the best as he pursues his professional career. We thank him and his family for joining ours as Bruins. The UCLA family will always be there to support Johnny.”
Juzang helped the Bruins to a 22-10 overall record in 2020-21, culminating in the program’s first appearance at the NCAA Final Four since 2008. Most recently, UCLA went 27-8 in 2021-22, advanced to the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 and finished in second place in the Pac-12 standings.
Through his two seasons in Westwood, Juzang guided the Bruins to a combined 49-18 record, including a 28-11 mark in Pac-12 play.
Juzang averaged 19.3 points and 4.6 rebounds in nine career NCAA Tournament contests. He shot 48.2 percent from the field in those games. Juzang scored 29 points in last season’s NCAA Final Four contest against Gonzaga, just four days after totaling 28 points in UCLA’s 51-49 win against Michigan in the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight. Juzang ranks No. 10 in school history in most career points scored in the NCAA Tournament (174 points).
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Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.
