UCLA Basketball star Johnny Juzang announces his return to college basketball after withdrawing from 2021 NBA Draft.
UCLA basketball star Johnny Juzang announced late Wednesday night that he would withdraw from the 2021 NBA Draft and return to school for his junior year.
This move comes hours after Juzang’s teammate, Cody Riley, also announced his intentions to return to school. The news is great for the Bruins as they return every member from their run to the Final Four last season, which ended in disappointment due to Jalen Suggs‘ prayer from half-court that sent Gonzaga to the national championship game.
Additionally, Juzang is among several notable players making the return to school for this upcoming season, including Oral Roberts’ Max Abmas and USC’s Isaiah Mobley.
Meanwhile, the Bruins welcome a strong recruiting class that includes McDonald’s All-American Peyton Watson and Rutgers transfer Myles Johnson. Juzang’s return only helps the Bruins in their quest to seek the school’s 12th national championship and first since 1995.
Johnny Juzang’s return puts the UCLA Bruins among contention for the national championship.
Before arriving in Los Angeles, Juzang was a highly-touted prospect in high school. Ranked a four-star recruit, Juzang enrolled at the University of Kentucky under the stewardship of John Calipari. In his first season, Juzang averaged 2.9 points per game while shooting 37.7 percent from the field. However, his first game turned out to be his best game as a Wildcat, as Juzang scored 13 points in a win over Tennessee.
Following the season, Juzang, a California native, decided to transfer back home to UCLA and play under head coach Mick Cronin. Juzang played in 26 games this past season and scored a career-high 32 points against the Washington Huskies in February.
The Bruins entered the 2021 NCAA Tournament as an 11-seed and won five NCAA Tournament games while becoming the first team since the 2011 VCU Rams to go from the First Four to the Final Four. In four of UCLA’s six tournament games, Juzang registered over 20 points and recorded 29 points on 66.7 percent shooting in the semi-final loss to Gonzaga.
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