NBA Comparison: Duncan Robinson

Strengths: Has good size for the SG spot at 6’5.25” barefoot, 6’6.5” in shoes, as well as good length with a 6’11.0” wingspan, and the frame to put on extra muscle … Juzang is a score-first guard (15.8 ppg in 2-year UCLA career) with a very nice shooting stroke and he let’s it fly with confidence, needing little time or space to get going … Has range beyond the NBA 3-point line, but isnt solely a 3-point shooter … Possesses a quick, high release and a natural touch that can do damage from mid-range and beyond the arc, and also aids his ability to hit shots against contests … One of the best off-ball scorers in the 2022 class, can put up points in chunks … Has compact mechanics and gets into his shots quickly, and is very effective moving without the ball, constantly maneuvering through screens and hitting shots from mid-range or from deep … Can effectively get to his traditional 1-2 dribble pull-ups or use giant killers and runners in the lane when he can’t get to the rim…Has enough shot-creating ability to get to his spots and use his size to shoot over smaller matchups too … Makes few mistakes at the FT line when he gets there (career 85%) … An asset in the clutch; not afraid to take shots in crunch time or step up in big games …

Weaknesses: A bit of a one-trick pony; doesn’t have a standout area in his game other than his jump shot … Not very quick or athletic by NBA standards for a wing…Average ball-handling skills … Doesnt have the tools to turn corners or collapse the paint off the dribble; not much of a factor getting to the rim let alone converting amongst the trees (46% FG inside the arc as a Jr, 47% for his career) … Can’t free himself from defenders that well when shooting off the bounce; took a pretty high amount of contested jumpers in college that will be more difficult to rely on against bigger/more athletic NBA players … Though his shot is good he never posted elite efficiency with it (a solid 35% 3FG for his career), though some of that is due to varying level of difficulty of some of his shots (ie on the move, against heavy contests) … Doesn’t pass the ball much (1.8/1.6 A/TO), and will sometimes try to shoot himself out of slumps…His length helps, but Juzang projects to struggle containing penetration in space against NBA-level guards due to his lacking lateral quickness, but also hasn’t quite shown the strength or physicality to match up with SFs either … Nothing more than a team defender; doesn’t get many deflections or steals … Withdrew from the 2021 Draft and returned to college but didnt improve very much from his Soph to Jr season, leaving some to question his upside …

Overall: Juzang is a former top 50 recruit from LA who started his career at Kentucky playing sparingly as a Fr. in the 2019-2020 season, before transferring back home to UCLA and immediately making a major impact … He was an all-conference player as a Soph., but really made a name for himself with his hot shooting, scoring punch (22.8 ppg during NCAA Tournament) and flair for the dramatic during UCLA’s unlikely 2021 Final 4 run … He declared for the draft shortly after but decided to return to college following feedback after the 2021 NBA Combine … His Jr. season was also productive and UCLA made the Sweet 16, and further showcased the bunch scoring and shooting touch that are Juzang’s calling cards … Still, some of the things he needed to work on coming into this past season (ie defense, strength/physicality, shot-creation off the bounce, feel for passing) are largely still being called to question despite him being a more experienced prospect … But there is something to be said about a player with his size as a SG and his ability to play best when the lights are brightest, and he could settle into a role as an off-ball shooter/scorer in the NBA … He has a wide draft range and could hear his name at the end of the 1st round or anywhere in the 2nd, but a player with his production, experience and a noteworthy skill to hang his hat on is certainly worth keeping an eye on and could prove to be a steal in the right situation …

Notes: Measured: 6’5.25” barefoot, 6’6.5” in shoes, 8’6.5” standing reach, 208.6 lbs, 6’11.0” wingspan at the 2022 NBA Draft Combine …

Jorrye Nixon 5/30/22

Strengths: Juzang is a pure shooter and dynamic scorer, and difficult to stop on the perimeter with the ball in his hands … Excellent catch and shoot player … Proved to be extremely clutch, leading UCLA’s surprise run to the Final Four … Has a wide array of dribble moves to open looks on the perimeter … Has a polished floor game. Really comfortable taking pull up shots, and can create his own shot from behind the arc or inside … Functions well in the pick and roll as the ball handler … Averaged over 16 points per game last season … Takes, and makes, challenging shots … Excellent free throw shooter at 87.7%, reinforcing the idea that he can be an elite shooter at the next level … Has good length and a strong frame for a guard, which can help with the physicality in NBA … His greatest strength is his ability to create offense in the half court … Solid rebounder, averaging over four per game … Smooth, quick shot form that should translate to a higher three-point percentage given better looks … Can explode for huge offensive outbursts, as evidenced by his combined 57 points on 62% shooting in the Elite Eight and Final Four games … Juzang plays at his best in the most important games … Can score from every area of the court, and shot almost 50% on two-point jumpers … Has the size to defend multiple positions … Plays well off the ball … Had an incredible March Madness that highlighted his unique scoring ability and draft stock …. High level intangibles. A proven winner and player who loves the challenge of playing in the spot light …

Weaknesses: Lacks elite athleticism … Does not have an athletic body … Speed is below average at NBA level … because of his athletic shortcomings, he struggles in transition … Despite his shiftiness and creative handle, Juzang took less than 15% of shots around the rim … He can be too reliant on his jumper, and avoid trying to create shots closer to the hoop … Somewhat limited as a passer, averaging 1.6 assists and turnovers per game … .Can get tunnel vision and hunt his shot … Can disappear offensively if his three-point shots are not falling, including seven games scoring fewer than ten points … Will take shots regardless of whether they are falling … Can get lost defensively, and can either help too much or too little … Does not close out on shooters well … Provides little value on big play defensively averaging just 1.1 steals and blocks per game … Is not particularly athletic, and may struggle to convert shots at the rim against stronger defenders … Proved to be a decent individual defender, but won’t lock down tougher assignments, and looks lost during times of motion from the opposing offense … Needs to develop a stronger understanding of when to shoot and when to pass to find success at the next level …

Outlook: While his athleticism and body type don’t necessarily pass the eye test, (and perhaps that’s why he never broke through on the Kentucky depth chart as a freshman), once given a chance, he proved to be a star with incredible determination … Shooting has become at a huge premium in the NBA and Juzang proved to be an incredibly clutch shooter in this year’s NCAA tourney … Announced his intentions to enter the 2021 NBA draft but has retained his eligibility to return by not signing with an agent … On the heels of such an incredible NCAA tournament, Juzang would be best advised to roll the dice and leave his name in the draft, he has a real shot to be a first round pick, and would be running the risk of hurting his draft stock by returning to UCLA if he struggled to improve upon his sophomore season …

Notes: Measured 6’5.5” barefoot, 6’7.0” in shoes 8’4.5” standing reach, 209.0 lbs, and 6’10.5” wingspan at the 2021 NBA Draft Combine … Native of Southern California … Turned 20 on March 17th … Went from barely playing at Kentucky to being a first option star at UCLA … Shows he worked on improving his game and did exponentially better in a different system that allowed his offensive flow to flourish … Was a consensus top 50 prospect entering college …

Michael Hopp 4/24/21