As a freshman with the Kentucky Wildcats, Johnny Juzang struggled. He was shooting 37.7% and went 14-for-43 beyond the arc. When UCLA head coach Mick Cronin brought the California native home, everything clicked.<\/p>\n
Two years later, Juzang signed with the Utah Jazz. He was released on waivers Tuesday at the beginning of the free agency period, after three years with the program.<\/p>\n
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Juzang started 18 games in Utah last season, averaging eight points in 20 minutes and shooting 38% from three. He\u2019s a player who \u201cwill receive interest from teams,\u201d per ESPN\u2019s Shams Charania<\/a>.<\/p>\n In two seasons as a Bruin, the guard started in 55 of 57 games played. He shot 43.6% in the paint and 35.6% on 3-pointers, while maintaining an 85.4% career free throw accuracy. Juzang averaged 15.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game, but his most notable performance was in the 2020-21 NCAA Tournament.<\/p>\n The 6-foot-7 guard led UCLA from the First Four to the Final Four, where the Bruins ultimately fell 93-90 to Gonzaga. As a sophomore, Juzang was a force throughout the tournament, averaging 22.8 points and four rebounds per game.<\/p>\n The Bruins made it to the Sweet Sixteen the following year, with Juzang averaging 12.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and two steals across three games. They lost 73-66 to UNC, who went on to the championship.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcf2\u00a0Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp<\/a><\/p>\n Despite his formidable March Madness performances, Juzang went undrafted in 2022 and joined the Jazz on a two-way contract. The guard started 23 of 102 games played in a Utah uniform, recording 7.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and one assist on average per game. His shooting has gotten more consistent, improving by 9.2% and 13.8% beyond the arc since his rookie year.<\/p>\n