Johnny Juzang signs two-way deal with Utah Jazz following 2022 NBA Draft

UCLA’s Johnny Juzang may have gone undrafted during the 2022 NBA Draft, but he already has his first professional opportunity lined up soon after.

Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Utah Jazz have signed the 6’6 guard from Los Angeles to a two-way contract. This type of contract is a non-guaranteed deal that allows teams to more easily expand their rosters.

Juzang was a Top-50 prospect coming out of high school in 2019 per On3’s Consensus Top Basketball Recruits. He would then commit to the University of Kentucky and spent one season under John Calipari. Juzang averaged 2.9 points in 12.3 minutes per game in Lexington before transferring ahead of his sophomore season.

After committing to UCLA, Juzang broke out as a star in college basketball. His scoring swelled to 15.8 points a game in 32.1 minutes during his two seasons in LA. He truly stepped into the spotlight during the Bruins miracle run in the 2021 NCAA Tournament. After starting in the First Four bracket, Juzang helped guide the Bruins to the Final Four in Indianapolis. He averaged 22.8 points per game on 51.1% from the field and 37.6% from deep in those six games. Their miracle run was abruptly ended by a halfcourt, Gonzaga game-winner by Jalen Suggs. Still, Juzang’s success in the tournament set him up for a significant junior season.

Prior to the NBA Draft, there were serious questions about where Johnny Juzang would be drafted. Sports Illustrated had reported that Juzang worked out for four different teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Sacramento Kings, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Indiana Pacers.

Juzang’s game starts with his ability to score. He’s explosive and capable of huge offensive outbursts. The problem is his lack of defensive improvement and ball distribution makes him a one-dimensional player. While scoring is nice, you need to be an all-around player at the NBA level.

The Utah Jazz are a team searching for answers after a sixth straight Western Conference flameout. Adding a player with Juzang’s college pedigree could be a step in the right direction for a team still looking to compete. Still, he’ll have to prove it on the new contract he’s on. His first chance to do so will come July 5th through the 7th when the Jazz host their seventh straight Summer League in Salt Lake City.