Utah Jazz head coach praises former Bruin Johnny Juzang

Johnny Juzang is gaining steam in the pros.

A former UCLA Bruins got some love from his head coach this week.

Johnny Juzang, the 6′ 5″ former UCLA Bruin guard, went undrafted in 2022 but managed to find his way to the Utah Jazz on a two-way contract with the Salt Lake City Stars.

This weekend, Juzang scored a season-high ten points, four rebounds, and one assist in twenty minutes against the lowly Washington Wizards.

But following the game, Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy said of Juzang’s performance on Monday, “I do want to shout out Johnny Juzang. I thought he played 20 rock-solid minutes. Johnny’s worked really hard since he got with us last year. He’s a guy who probably hasn’t gotten enough opportunity based on the roster, timing, and health.”

“Without question, Johnny has worked incredibly hard for the last year and a half and has really improved,” Hardy continued.

Though Juzang has faced injury problems early in his career, the promise he showed this past weekend is a welcome sign for the former Bruin.

If he can stay healthy, Juzang could move up the bench for the Jazz and continue to make headlines, joining the list of young, talented former UCLA alums.

Jazz rookie Johnny Juzang erupts for first 30-point game in G League

Juzang put up a career night in the G League to lead the Stars to a win over the Ignite.

Utah Jazz rookie Johnny Juzang on Thursday put up a career night in the G League to lead the Salt Lake City Stars to a win on the road over the G League Ignite.

Juzang produced a game-high 30 points, eight rebounds and three assists in the 116-99 victory. He went 9-of-17 from the field, including 4-of-7 from 3-point range, in 33 minutes of action as the Stars improved to 6-8 in the regular season.

The Stars trailed 56-47 at halftime, but Juzang helped spark a monster third quarter to bust the game open. He scored 17 points in the period as the Stars outscored the Ignite, 41-18, to take a 14-point lead into the fourth quarter.

Juzang, who is signed to a two-way contract, has not appeared in a game with the Jazz this season. He has played exclusively in the G League and is averaging 18.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists on 37.8% shooting from 3-point range in 18 games with the Stars.

The 21-year-old will likely stay with Salt Lake City for the rest of the season to develop and adjust to the next level. The G League will provide a great opportunity to continue to log extended minutes on the court and work on his game.

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Jazz rookie Johnny Juzang catches fire en route to career night in G League

Juzang drained six 3-pointers and set a new career-high in the G League with the Salt Lake City Stars.

Utah Jazz rookie Johnny Juzang on Wednesday drained six 3-pointers and set a career high while on assignment in the NBA G League with the Salt Lake City Stars in a loss to the Grand Rapids Gold.

Juzang produced a team-high 28 points, five rebounds, three assists and one steal in the 110-100 loss during the G League Winter Showcase in Las Vegas, Nevada. He finished 11-of-19 from the field in 24 minutes off the bench.

The undrafted guard from UCLA scored 13 points in the fourth quarter and hit three of his six total 3s in the period. He also had some timely cuts on the court, which led to some easy baskets in the contest.

The contest was just his second back in the lineup with the Stars after missing one month due to a Grade 3 sprain in his right wrist. He put up 19 points, five rebounds and two assists on Monday in his return as the Stars lost to the Capital City Go-Go.

Juzang, who is signed to a two-way contract, has not yet appeared in a game with the Jazz this season. He has played exclusively in the G League and is averaging 16.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists on 43.9% shooting from 3-point range in seven games with the Stars.

He will likely stay with Salt Lake City now that he is recovered from his wrist injury. The G League will provide a great opportunity to continue to log extended minutes on the court and work on his development.

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Jazz rookie Johnny Juzang to miss 10-14 days due to wrist injury

Juzang will miss time after suffering an injury on assignment in the G League with the Salt Lake City Stars.

Utah Jazz rookie Johnny Juzang will miss time after suffering a Grade 3 sprain in his right wrist with the Salt Lake City Stars in the NBA G League, the team announced.

Juzang, who is signed to a two-way contract, suffered the injury on Nov. 18 in a loss to the G League Ignite. He underwent an MRI to confirm the severity of the injury and will be reevaluated in 10-14 days after a period of treatment and rehab.

The undrafted forward out of UCLA is averaging 13.4 points and four rebounds on 37.2% shooting from 3-point range in five games on assignment with the Stars.

He has not suited up with the Jazz this season.

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Juzang will miss at least the next six games in the G League based on the timeline provided by the Jazz. He has had a strong start with the Stars and will be hoping to miss minimal time after suffering a setback in the early going.

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Former UCLA guard Johnny Juzang signs two-way contract with Jazz

Juzang is averaging 8.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in four games with the Jazz in summer league.

Former UCLA guard Johnny Juzang, who went undrafted last month, signed a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz on Friday, the team announced.

Juzang was named to the first-team All-Pac 12 last season after averaging 15.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists on 36% shooting from 3-point range in 30 games. He led the Bruins in scoring and finished in double figures in all but five games; he had eight 20-point performances.

The 21-year-old has had a solid run with the Jazz in the Las Vegas Summer League, averaging 8.5 points and 4.5 rebounds on 36.4% shooting from 3-point range in four games. He turned in his best game on Friday with 14 points and four rebounds.

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Juzang will split his time next season between Utah and the Salt Lake City Stars in the NBA G League. He is eligible to spend no more than 50 games in the NBA and will earn a flat salary equal to 50% of the minimum salary applicable to a player with zero years of service.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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