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UCLA guard Johnny Juzang announces plans to declare for 2021 NBA Draft

Rising junior guard Johnny Juzang averaged 16 points per game for UCLA men’s basketball in the 2020-2021 season, including 137 points across the Bruins’ six March Madness games. (Andy Bao/Daily Bruin staff)

By Jon Christon

April 20, 2021 12:59 p.m.

This post was updated April 20 at 1:52 p.m.

UCLA’s Mr. March is one step closer to getting drafted in July.

Rising junior guard Johnny Juzang announced Tuesday on social media that he is declaring for the 2021 NBA Draft while maintaining his college eligibility for UCLA men’s basketball. Juzang still has three years of collegiate eligibility available should he choose to stay.

College athletes are allowed to declare for the draft, compete in the NBA Draft Combine and interview with teams while maintaining eligibility only if they do not hire an agent during the process. 

“I’m proud to announce that I’m declaring for the NBA Draft, while retaining my collegiate eligibility,” Juzang said in the statement made on his Twitter account. “I want to thank coach (Mick) Cronin and UCLA, the basketball program and the Bruin community, for welcoming me with such open arms.”

Cronin released a statement as well, as the soon-to-be third-year coach said he supports Juzang regardless of the decision he makes.

“We all support Johnny and, for that matter, all of our players in the future who are making these types of decisions,” Cronin’s statement said. “I will work closely with Johnny and his family on fact-finding and anything else we can do to support them in this process.”

Juzang – who transferred to UCLA in 2020 after one year at Kentucky – led the Bruins with 16 points per game in his lone season in Westwood. 

The Tarzana, California, native upped his game in March, leading the Bruins to their first Final Four run in 13 years. Juzang put up 22.8 points per game during the tournament, earning him a spot on the All-Tournament team. 

CBS Sports has Juzang as the 23rd overall pick in its most recent mock draft, while ESPN does not have him as one of the 60 names to be called. Before the season, Juzang was not on many NBA radars. 

Juzang will have until July 7 to withdraw from the draft and retain NCAA eligibility and until July 19 to decide whether to stay in the draft as an early entrant.

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Jon Christon | Sports senior staff
Christon is currently a Sports senior staff writer. He was previously the Sports editor on the men's basketball and football beats and the assistant Sports editor on the women's basketball, softball, men's tennis and women's tennis beats. Christon was previously a contributor on the women's basketball and softball beats.
Christon is currently a Sports senior staff writer. He was previously the Sports editor on the men's basketball and football beats and the assistant Sports editor on the women's basketball, softball, men's tennis and women's tennis beats. Christon was previously a contributor on the women's basketball and softball beats.
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