Johnny Juzang Kentucky Freshman Highlights
In this article we want to give all Kentucky Wildcat fans all the information, highlights and background info on Kentucky freshman Johnyy Juzang.
Johnny Juzang
School: Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.)
Position: Forward
Height: 6-7
Weight: 195
College: University of Kentucky
After a dominant high school season with the Wolverines in Compton, California. (23 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists a game), Johnny Juzang emerged as one of the top 3 point marksmen on the Adidas Gauntlet, draining 43.4 percent from the three-point line and averaging 14.1 points for the Compton Magic.
Johnny Juzang committed to Kentucky just two weeks after announcing he was moving from the 2020 to 2019 class by graduating from Harvard Westlake High School in California this summer. The 247Sports Composite, which averages the ratings of the three major recruiting services, ranks Juzang as the No. 32 prospect in the class of 2019 and the Number 9 small forward in the class.
“Johnny can really score the basketball,” Calipari said in the news release after Juzang’s signing. “You’re talking about a kid who has a college-ready body, which is why I was in full support of him reclassifying. When he told us he was doing it, I said let’s do this. He can really shoot the basketball and has a great skill set, but what I love about him is his will to win, his fight and competitiveness. He likes to play physical and can shoot over the top of defenders, plus he’s a very good rebounder to be so young. He’s a smart player who is really going to make us a different team next year.”
He believes in positive self talk and is a personal development student based upon an interview he recently had on the behind Kentucky Basketball podcast.
Here’s what the commitment means for Kentucky.
Johnny Juzang may be the best 3-point shooter on the 2019-20 Wildcats Team.
The transfer of sophomore reserve guard Jemarl Baker added to what seems like an annual concern about whether Kentucky will boast enough 3-point shooting next season. It was likely no coincidence that Calipari and assistant coach Joel Justus first visited Juzang two days after Baker’s transfer since last summer on the Adidas AAU circuit he shot a blistering 41.8 percent (33 for 79) from 3-point range.
Like Baker would have been expected to do if he had returned to Kentucky, Juzang is expected to come off the bench this season, but his 6-foot-6 frame and shooting ability gives the Wildcats a four-guard rotation again with Ashton Hagans, Immanuel Quickley and Tyrese Maxey. He could also play alongside Hagans and Maxey at times if Calipari wants to maximize the shooting on the court by playing forwards Kahlil Whitney or Keion Brooks at the four.
Don’t sell Johnny Juzag Short
Yes, Juzang is a four-star, not five-star recruit. He doesn’t have the five-star rating of UK signees Maxey, Whitney and Brooks, but his late move to the 2019 class also means he flew under the radar compared to many of his classmates. There’s plenty of recent history that suggests his spot in the national rankings will be no deterrent to a major role as a freshman either. Shai Gilgeous Alexander came to University of Kentucky as a three-star.
A year ago, Tyler Herro was ranked 37th by the 247Sports Composite. In the 2017 class, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was ranked 31st. Both players ended up as one-and-done stars for Kentucky. At this time in their recruiting cycles few were projecting Herro or Gilgeous-Alexander to start for UK as freshmen either. So as members of BBN it will be exciting to see how all this plays out. At this point we should all know that Calipari will help Juzang maximize his talent. From what we have seen, I think this young man has a strong, positvie, mindset which is very important if you are going to play for the University of Kentucky.
“Just his work ethic alone leaves me feeling very comfortable about where he’s at,” Harvard Westlake coach David Rebibo recently told the press. “Obviously, he’s going to have to learn a new style of play. He’s going to have to adjust to playing against some really high-level guys who are not his age anymore and two, three years older. I think with time he’ll figure it out. He’s going to find a way. He’s that kind of kid said Rebibo.
