You hate to see a guy leave for any reason, but it is somewhat reassuring to know that it had nothing to do with his Kentucky experience. I needed him to hurry up, though, Cronin said with a chuckle, alluding to Juzang having carried his teams otherwise sluggish offense. UCLA guard Johnny Juzang shoots over Michigan guard Mike Smith, left, during the first half of an Elite 8 game in the NCAA tournament on Tuesday in Indianapolis. Im not giving up. His father is CEO of a healthcare staffing company. 1 overall selections since 2010 under Calipari, all of which rank first by a wide margin. Before joining The Athletic, he covered Kentucky for seven years at The (Louisville) Courier-Journal and SEC Country. On the season, the 6-foot-6 shooting guard averaged 16.0 points and 4.1 rebounds. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. So he created vision boards itemizing his goals and affirmations, and he put them on his closet so he could see them every day. Creoles, in themselves, are considered a mixed race of African and European. When the season was over, he put his name in the NBA Draft and could have been a second-round pick. Win a national championship. Im so happy for him and the UCLA team/staff. Their different ethnicities bestowed unique physical attributes on their children, making them stand out. He has a very high level of confidence, 6-7 junior wing Jaime Jaquez says. Kentuckys staff views his skill set similarly and told him as much. UCLA guard Johnny Juzang (right) hugs Jaime Jaquez Jr. (left) after beating Alabama 88-78 in overtime in a Sweet 16 game in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on March 28. "Were going for it. Its starting to play out as scripted, Juzang having commenced a celebratory jig, slipped on a commemorative T-shirt and placed a freshly shorn net around his neck late Tuesday night inside Lucas Oil Stadium. On Friday afternoon, Kentucky freshman guard Johnny Juzang announced he would be entering the NCAA transfer portal and likely ending his time in Lexington. "They just want me to do what's best for me and make me happy but inside, you know what they wanted. 5 Vanderbilt, Kentucky baseball has fallen out of the D1Baseball and Baseball America Top 25. Its starting to play out as scripted, Juzang having commenced a celebratory jig, slipped on a commemorative T-shirt and placed a freshly shorn net around his neck late Tuesday night inside Lucas Oil Stadium. Cronin gave Juzang the nudge he was looking for, helping him evolve into a scorer, and not just a shooter, by enhancing his ability to draw fouls and get to the free-throw line instead of settling for jump shots. Most of all, he was deeply curious. At the 2021 NBA Draft Combine he measure in at 6-foot-7, 209 pounds, with a 6-foot-10.5 wingspan. Johnnys mother, Hanh, on the other hand, is Vietnamese by nationality, and she was born in her home country. Cronin wants him to be more vocal as a leader, and the other players have noticed his burgeoning swagger. Some would look at that as an onerous burden, but as usual, Juzang sees things differently. It has led to a reminder that sometimes its best to write your own story, the details never as important as the ending. 11 seed UCLA to a 51-49 win in the regional final . UCLA legend Reggie Miller tweeted video footage of Juzang hugging teammate Cody Riley after Juzang scored 28 points during an upset of the top-seeded Wolverines. Per Rothstein, the No. It was a really tough call, he says, but Kentucky felt a little more out of my comfort zone, and thats big for me. Johnny has been on a group text with his new teammates for weeks, and on the eve of his trek to Lexington he said he was eager to join them in pursuit of the programs ninth national championship. 1,494 Following. Kentuckys staff views his skill set similarly and told him as much. YAAAAASSSSSSS!!! Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. (And lest anyone think Maxie and Hanh are all work and no play, let the record show they met at 2 a.m. in a Cancun bar called Disco Daddys.). Thats not to say that the sophomore guard ever foresaw anything like this. Because of the pandemic, the players did not arrive on campus until late September. Who Are Wynonna Judds Children and How Many Are they? Justus also had one more ace up his sleeve in this recruitment: an invitation for Lauren Juzang to sing the national anthem before a game at Rupp Arena next season. Sorry @realchriswebber, your @umichbball put up a valiant effort, but as I told you before, my @UCLAMBB are a team of DESTINY. "Cars, clothing, shoes" -- that's the type of sponsorships UCLA hoops star Johnny Juzang wants after the new NCAA rule change telling TMZ Sports, he's excited to make some deals! Its pretty surreal to be in the Final Four now, Juzang told The Times by telephone Wednesday, having led the Bruins to their deepest NCAA tournament run since 2008, after I had written that down so many years ago.. All About Derek Jeter and Hannah Davis Daughter, Who is Diane Clohesy? Im trying to take some tea right now, Maxie Juzang said Wednesday morning. It has led to a reminder that sometimes its best to write your own story, the details never as important as the ending. "Johnny had a great year and really got better as the season went on. Christian was four years older and equally serious about hoops. In a whirlwind development, Juzang announced on April 24 he was moving up from the 2020 recruiting class to 2019, took an official visit to Lexington on April 29 and committed to the Cats on May 10. Hes serious but not too serious., Juzang is well-aware that his postseason performance and preseason hype have created high expectations. When his father took him to the L.A. Auto Show every year, Johnny was in heaven. Rhode Island safety transfer Antonio Carter will take an official visit to Kentucky the weekend of May 13-15, he tells KSR. By the time Cronin was hired and made his recruiting pitch, the Studio City Harvard-Westlake High standout was essentially headed to Lexington. "The last year at Kentucky was one of the best experiences of my life. Juzang was born on March 17, 2001 in Los Angeles, California. Its not common for a 13-year-old to conceive such thoughts, much less write them down, much less put them where he could see them every day, but Maxie had long known his son was not common. There are some athletes in Juzangs family tree a track athlete here, a basketball player there but he was blessed with a generous combination of height and agility. I always enjoyed coaching him, and if theres an opportunity to continue to do so, I would welcome it with open arms because Johnny is a great kid and a skilled basketball player with a bright future," UK head coach John Calipari said last spring. Thats what we base our workouts on. Does anyone have an opinion on the Sacramento Kings? Still, when the season was canceled and campus shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Juzang returned to California and realized how much he missed his friends, his network of trainers, and most of all, his family. Juzang is a 6-foot-7 junior guard at UCLA and a consensus preseason first-team All-American for the No. Plus, the brothers' father, Eric Mobley, is an assistant coach for Southern Cal. His little sister, Lauren, is a gifted musician who skipped a grade and will release her own album before starting college at 17. It was just pure. Juzangs father, Maxie, figures to be hoarse before tipoff after having cheered his sons team through five consecutive victories, making UCLA only the second team after Virginia Commonwealth to advance from the First Four to a Final Four. Johnny was young, so it took him a little longer to adjust mentally and maturity-wise, and the fact that me and my wife both work and didnt get out there near as much as we thought we might really made it tough.. Cronin, in what he calls maybe the best decision my career, wouldnt let him play for fear he would re-injure it and be gone for good. He decided to transfer, and this time UCLA was the easy choice. UCLA's magical March Madness run as a No. The company doesnt exist anymore, but a few of those T-shirts are still floating about. Eligibility restrictions apply. Johnny Juzang rising over Caleb Love to shoot Mitchell Leff-USA TODAY Sports. Juzang was eager to get to work, but first he had to take two months off to allow his body to heal. Nor does he pretend to have all the answers. "Johnny would have been pushed at Virginia," he said. Juzang hadnt even finished his official visit to UK, where prospects are pummeled by giant photos and propaganda to remind them of all the programs pros, before he had pretty much made his decision. Thus, he has American nationality. All those points came with Juzang missing parts of two games with an ankle injury and the entire overtime against Alabama in a regional semifinal after having fouled out. Im so happy for him and the UCLA team/staff. Big, G League, 6-8 (Ignite) 39. His father was in the military, serving in the Air Force at the time. If you look at Juzang really look at him its hard to tell what he is or where hes from. The elder Juzang continued. Johnny Juzang was born on March 17, 2001, in Los Angeles, California, to Mazie Juzang, an American of Creole Origin (a mixed race of African and European descent), and Hanh Payton-Juzang, a Vietnamese. Having watched his leading scorer return only 10 days after being carried off the court because of the same bothersome ankle in a First Four game against Michigan State, Cronin figured Juzang would be back unless he was unable to walk. which, of course, includes vehicles and swag!! Sorry @realchriswebber, your @umichbball put up a valiant effort, but as I told you before, my @UCLAMBB are a team of DESTINY. Johnnys a macro thinker, his brother Christian says. While hes happy to blend in, Juzang also wanted to make sure there was a real need for his services on whichever team he picked. Juzang also liked the idea of Cronin transforming him into the kind of player who could tick off those goals on the bedroom closet. Read more about Maxie Juzangs interview with Kyle Tucker of The Athletic here. From that point on, it was a fight for him., Juzang shot 40.7 percent from 3-point range against SEC opponents, but he only averaged 2.9 points in 12.3 minutes on the season. If you look at the data, he has started more freshmen than any other program, Maxie says. People. Every morning before school, and each night before bed, the eighth-grader would read the messages taped to his bedroom closet. There were always high expectations in our house, Johnny says. I wanted to be part of a winning program and be held to winning standards, Juzang said, and I felt he was the guy to do that.. He recently shared a photo of his family on Johnny's birthday, March 18. Tristan Vukcevic. The 20-year-old UCLA star's father, Maxi Juzang, is an American of Creole descent. Its knowing that Im growing and progressing. Heading into Thursdays NBA Draft, where three Wildcats will be picked in the first round, Kentucky has churned out 35 draft picks, 26 first-rounders, 19 lottery picks and three No. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, Download the TMZ App on the Apple App Store, Download the TMZ App on the Google Play Store. Go win it all, Johnny!Always #LaFamilia and got a lot of people back here rooting for you! October 2, 2021 3:45 pm ET. After he got his drivers license, he would spend his weekends training and playing. 6 prospect in After dropping 10 of their last 13 games and suffering an 0-4 week with a loss to Louisville and a sweep from No. His father, Maxie, is a successful entrepreneur. The sophomore guard had just led UCLA to the NCAA Tournament Final Four, scoring. Never mind that his other top suitor, Virginia, had just won the whole thing three weeks earlier and also had a pressing need for the 6-foot-7 wings scoring prowess. Am I growing my character? Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. His uncle-in-law trumps them all in star wattage, Michael Cooper having won five NBA championships with the Lakers. Johnny Juzang was born and raised in the United States and pretty much lived in Los Angeles, California in his entire life. As a result, people often wonder if they are Chinese, but it is obvious they have Asian blood running in their veins. He is currently a professional basketball player for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Despite Kentucky missing the NCAA Tournament, one of the biggest storylines of the first weekend has been the play of UCLA guard and former Wildcat Johnny Juzang . You know where they wanted me to go. Entrepreneur and Proud Father of Maxie II, Christian, Jonathan and Lauren Juzang. Win a title at the highest level. Currently, his father is serving as a CEO in a Healthcare Staffing Company, wherever his mother is a financial advisor. Why is Frank McCourt really pushing it? Southern CA Joined September 2014. Follow Seth on Twitter @SethDavisHoops, The Juzang family: from left, Maxie, Christian, Hanh, Lauren and Johnny (Courtesy Juzang family). He was born and raised in the States, and this is where he is raising his family. However, his unique look comes from his mixed ethnic heritage. "So, different brands thatll align with that -- itll be interesting, man. "He likes the warm weather," Juzang's father, Maxie, said. When he sees something he wants, he goes for it.. Former UCLA guard Johnny Juzang, who went undrafted last month, signed a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz on Friday, the team announced. Many experts and writers in the NCAA Basketball . Johnny seems to be close to his folks, and they are often seen supporting him in the best way possible. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Plaschke: Its UCLAs first trip to the Final Four in 13 years and the most unexpected in forever, Busting brackets like never before, Pac-12 sets upset record with UCLAs win. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network, *Translations are limited to select pages. That decision led to a rocky college debut, Juzang barely playing before a few promising performances late in the season. There are certain things you cant explain, he says. He stuck with it for nearly a year and broke even. YAAAAASSSSSSS!!! Juzang signed with the Jazz on a two-way deal this offseason, so this seemed a likely move at some point . The following year, he averaged 22.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists. When the kids got older, Hanh went back to work and is now a wealth management advisor for Morgan Stanley. Johnny Juzang makes a great defensive play for the steal. I told somebody, Go get him or tell him Im coming down there myself. . Maxie was born into a large family of 11 and was the fifth among nine children. And Johnnys own college decision, after completing online coursework to graduate high school a year early, came down to national champion Virginia and NBA pipeline Kentucky. He sought out the best grassroots team in California, one of the best in America, to showcase his skills alongside other elite players. Maxie's Instagram handle is @mjuzang1, and she has over 600 followers and over 100 posts. He attended games at Pauley Pavilion during UCLAs rocking Lonzo Ball season and envisioned himself similarly wowing fans when coach Steve Alford made Juzang a top recruiting priority. His parents rented an apartment in town so they could stay there on their visits. He happily traded in gobs of hotel points and airline miles to return to cover UCLA basketball and football in the summer of 2016. LOS ANGELES (AP) UCLA's Johnny Juzang, one of the stars of the 2021 NCAA Tournament during the Bruins' run to the Final Four, is entering the NBA Draft. Who Are Maxie Juzang and Hanh Payton-Juzang? Juzang exceeded his Kentucky season point total (82) exclusively in the NCAA tournament before halftime of the Bruins 51-49 victory over Michigan in the East Regional final. Johnny Juzang is from the United States of America. The. Still, Juzang was clearly out of his comfort zone. Im not backing down. "Were going for it," Juzang said. Based on his family tree from both sides, Johnny Juzangs ethnicity is a cultural mix of different ethnicities. Johnny Juzang: Questionable against Milwaukee. I have an amazing opportunity there. Win a title at the highest level. Call (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelpline.ma.org (MA), Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). The NCAA announced earlier this summer that athletes can now make money off their name, image and likeness and when we got Juzang out at Ocean Prime in Beverly Hills this week, he told us he's ready to start negotiating. Hanh primarily posts photos of himself with his loved ones. Johnny Juzang - The NBA G League We have updated our Terms of Use. The answer starts with his parents. Winning against Michigan State, behind 27 points from forward Jamie Jacquez and 23 from shooting guard Johnny Juzang, means the Bruins advance to play Saturday against No. #CinderellaContinuesToDance pic.twitter.com/Hh8fOgHoIu, Reggie Miller (@ReggieMillerTNT) March 31, 2021, Kentuckys John Calipari, who spurned UCLAs overtures for its coaching vacancy two years ago before Mick Cronin took the job, also passed along his congratulations on social media, telling Juzang to fulfill another of his goals and win it all.. "Should . UCLA Sports His work never done, UCLA's Johnny Juzang hunts success, not shots Feb. 17, 2021. The 11th-seeded Bruins answered the call of UCLA basketball history by charging back to the Final Four with a 51-49 victory over top-seeded Michigan. With UCLA winning over Michigan Tuesday night, Pac-12 has now broken the record for most upsets by a conference. Hes always in here smiling, having a good time. The Compton Magic squad he played for on the Adidas circuit was loaded: five-star brothers Isaiah and Evan Mobley, five-star big man Onyeka Okongwu and top-75 prospect Jaylen Clark, plus Juzang, who was a top-25 player in the 2020 class and ended up No. Former UCLA guard Johnny Juzang was in a minor car accident in Utah, but is "OK", according to Juzang's father. Hes always looking at the big picture rather than asking, what is this going to do for me tomorrow?. 11 seed came to a gut-wrenching end in the Final Four Saturday night, but Emma Smith, the girlfriend of Bruins star Johnny Juzang, wants him to keep UCLA has come out of nowhere to make it to the Final Four from the First Four. After the first weekend, Juzang was the NCAA Tournament's leading scorer with 67 points in wins over Michigan State (23 points), BYU (27 points) and Abilene Christian (17 points) to help lead UCLA to its first Sweet 16 since 2017. Juzang has blossomed this season in Westwood, averaging a team-high 15.1 points while shooting 42.9 percent overall and 35.3 percent from 3-point range to go along with 4.1 rebounds. Juzang began from an early age to have big dreams. Bolch was once selected by NBA TVs The Starters as the Worst of the Week after questioning their celebrity journalism-style questions at an NBA All-Star game and considers it one of his finer moments. Johnny Juzang was born to a Creole father named Maxie and a Vietnamese mother named Hanh . "I eat healthy," Juzang said. After his 2022 NBA draft, Juzang landed in Lexington to play for Utah Jazz. Though Christian played with the Harvard Crimson mens basketball team and briefly as a professional at Saigon Heat in Vietnam, he left basketball to focus on an investment company known as Phoenix Holdings in Vietnam. Is Brittney Griner Trans, A Man or Woman? All Rights Reserved. Seth Davis is a senior writer for The Athletic, focusing on college basketball. Juzang played pickup games at the Galen Center when Cooper coached the USC womens basketball team, but Juzang always dreamed of starring for the Trojans cross-town rival. She placed ultimate value on education, which is why all of her children became successful doctors, attorneys and entrepreneurs. The way the Wildcats used Herro and his dramatic rise from four-star recruit and presumed multi-year player to potential lottery pick after just one season also played a significant role in landing Juzang. According to Juzang's father, that absolutely applies to him. He sold that in 1997, and nine years later he launched a health staffing company that has since grown to more than 800 employees. Juzang was in eighth grade when he got his first scholarship offer from Arizona State. Hes always had a different brain, his sister Lauren says. Breaking news. His sights, however, were set higher than that, so he came back to school. The gamble paid off barely. The siblings were all born in the United States and have American nationality. Make a Final Four. Johnny Juzang was just the type of player that Kentucky needed. Article | Games. Juzang made the All-Pac-12 Second Team in 2021 before achieving First Team status in 2022, in addition to making the NABC's All-American Third Team to cap off his collegiate career. I grew so much not only as a player, but as a young man as well. Michael Foster. The . "When we spoke last night, his family talked about Johnny going back to the West Coast, which I understand. Juzang has averaged 21.6 points in UCLA's five-game Final Four run (the Bruins played Michigan State in a First Four game). Over the last couple days, KSR sat down with Juzang's father Maxie to get some answers. UCLA legend Reggie Miller tweeted video footage of Juzang hugging teammate Cody Riley after Juzang scored 28 points during an upset of the top-seeded Wolverines. Juzang would wave through two banks of glass doors at the delivery guy. Men | People | Women. By TMLT Publisher October 27, 2020. He was with the Kentucky Wildcats in 2019 before transferring to the UCLA Bruins in 2020. I felt ready to take it.. This suggests he might not know his true origins, but his nationality is American. Once basketball became hard, Johnny became interested. Rebibo cautioned against the assumption that Juzang, an honor roll student at Harvard-Westlake, will transfer to . To that end, the family also loved the fact newcomers get a more than fair shake under Calipari. Thats not to say that the sophomore guard ever foresaw anything like this. Calipari just puts the best guys on the court. His father, Maxie, is a successful entrepreneur. Most Read Langdon, Connelly, Ujiri are possible candidates for the Wizards GM job It's unclear if the Wizards are . He attended games at Pauley Pavilion during UCLAs rocking Lonzo Ball season and envisioned himself similarly wowing fans when coach Steve Alford made Juzang a top recruiting priority. Big, International, 6 . He grew up in Los Angeles with an older brother and a younger sister, who he is close to. #CinderellaContinuesToDance pic.twitter.com/Hh8fOgHoIu, Kentuckys John Calipari, who spurned UCLAs overtures for its coaching vacancy two years ago before Mick Cronin took the job, also passed along his congratulations on social media, telling Juzang to fulfill another of his goals and win it all.. UCLA was big on his radar when Steve Alford was there, but he got fired and that connection dissipated. Why would anyone be asking this? Johnny Juzang 2021 NCAA tournament highlights March Madness 421K subscribers Subscribe 95K views 1 year ago #collegebasketball #marchmadness From the First Four to the Final Four, UCLA's. His father. This type of mindset was standard inside the Juzang household. That environment, where 10 guys are all fighting each other every day for time, is where you get better faster.. He felt like that would be the right place for him, because hes a big dreamer.. Johnny Juzang and Micah Potter didn't get a ton of opportunities during the 2022-23 season, but both receive passing grades. Shes a financial adviser. Juzang will be a high school sophomore in the upcoming 2017-18 season. What drives me at my core isnt all these big goals. Johnny Juzang: Plays 16 minutes in blowout. Many years down the line, they have both carved their career paths, but Johnny seems to be the only one who pursued a career on the court. That was a big question for Johnny: Is this a fair playing field? Kentucky lost its top three 3-point shooters and top four scorers after last season and sorely needed to add a sniper in the spring signing period. Whered I get all this motivation?. So over the weekend, Juzangs family dropped him off in Lexington, nearly 2,200 miles from their home in the Los Angeles area, to help him unpack and prepare to get uncomfortable. He cant get enough of trying to make his body better, trying to learn, trying to improve his skills, Cronin says. Johnny Juzang and His Entire Family SOURCE: Twitter @Johnny Juzangs UCLA Bruins are going to the Final Four. Last March, he led the Bruins on an unlikely journey from the First Four to the Final Four, just as he imagined. As an eighth-grader at Viewpoint School in Calabasas, Juzang went over to where Christian and his friends were having lunch and, while wearing his school uniform, easily pulled off a 360-degree dunk. Prospects to watch: Johnny Juzang Juzang has emerged as a legit scorer and NBA prospect in this tournament. There was no big pitch like, Hey, were going to let you do this and have you on the floor this much. No, none of that. Creole is considered a mixed-race of African and European. Because Im not going anywhere. Juzang said the pandemic had a lot to do with his decision to leave Lexington. 0:15; Juzang finds Johnson for bucket in the paint. Cronin visited Juzang at Harvard-Westlake the morning after he got hired, but by that time Juzang had all but decided to go to Kentucky. His parents never had to tell him to do his homework or clean his room. He was unable to practice and had to sleep with his leg propped vertically against a wall to keep his ankle from swelling up, but come game time, he shined. With the Wildcats losing wings Keldon Johnson and Tyler Herro, there was a major need in Lexington. Better known as Johnny Juzang, Jonathan Anh Juzang (born March 17, 2001) is an American by nationality but has a mixed ethnicity that comprises Vietnamese and Creole from his mother's and father's side of the family, respectively.
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