What does Johnny Juzang’s exit mean for UCLA? Not as much as it would have last year

If all goes properly, the tip of 1 wonderful UCLA basketball run might result in the beginning of one other.

So lengthy, Johnny Juzang.

Hiya, Amari Bailey.

Juzang’s departure for the NBA draft, which the junior taking pictures guard introduced Wednesday in an Instagram publish, clears the way in which for the Bruins’ subsequent extremely coveted wing participant to characteristic extra prominently into the group’s plans for subsequent season.

That’s to not say that Juzang received’t be missed. The Tarzana native spent one season at Kentucky earlier than returning to Southern California to assist his hometown group attain the 2021 Last 4 with an epic scoring spree by which he averaged 22.8 factors within the NCAA match, together with 29 within the season-ending loss to Gonzaga.

“Rising up in Los Angeles to then doing Los Angeles proud is greater than a child might ask for,” Juzang wrote on Instagram. “From the underside of my coronary heart, thanks for a lot love and assist. I’ll ceaselessly be a Bruin, and we’ll all keep in mind the good moments we had.”

Juzang led UCLA in scoring in every of his two seasons, averaging a mixed 15.8 factors, and ranks No. 10 at school historical past with 174 factors within the NCAA match regardless of making simply two postseason journeys, together with this season’s run to the Candy 16.

However the Bruins are much better positioned to resist the lack of the 6-foot-7 Juzang than they might have been a yr in the past, when he returned in hopes of one other journey to the Last 4.

Bailey, the 6-5 combo guard from Sierra Canyon Chatsworth Excessive, is UCLA’s fifth-highest-rated recruit at school historical past, based on the metrics of 247 Sports activities, one spot above Lonzo Ball.

A cultured scorer and passer, Bailey ought to problem for a beginning spot to start subsequent season alongside Jaime Jaquez Jr., the veteran guard who introduced earlier this week that he would stay a Bruin in 2022-23.

Guards Tyger Campbell and Jules Bernard might additionally return — although Bernard stated he would solicit suggestions on his NBA draft prospects earlier than making that dedication — however large males Myles Johnson and Cody Riley are anticipated to depart, opening a big inside gap that could possibly be crammed by incoming freshman Adem Bona and redshirt freshman Mac Etienne.

Juzang’s leaving additionally makes extra minutes accessible for Jaylen Clark, the sophomore guard who prompt he was coming again Wednesday when he tweeted “Omm This my Westbrook get away yr comin up,” a reference to Russell Westbrook’s huge enchancment between his first and second years with the Bruins.

UCLA’s glut of proficient wing gamers final season led to restricted roles for Clark and freshman guard Peyton Watson, who performed a mixed eight minutes within the season-ending loss to North Carolina. Each additionally handled different points, Clark struggling repeated concussions and Watson needing a lot of the season to spherical into kind after having performed sparingly throughout his remaining highschool season due to COVID-19 disruptions.

Juzang turns into the primary starter from UCLA’s most up-to-date Last 4 run to depart and the third participant to depart, following Watson (NBA draft) and reserve guard Jake Kyman (switch to Wyoming).

“Johnny has been great for us throughout his two seasons in Westwood,” UCLA coach Mick Cronin stated in a press release. “Johnny and his teammates helped us win seven NCAA match video games in two postseason journeys, main our program on an exhilarating run to the Last 4 in 2021. Alongside the way in which, he has been an important teammate and a pleasure to be round daily. We are going to miss him.”

Broadly considered as a borderline first-round NBA draft choose by the tip of final season, Juzang had hoped to bolster his inventory by returning for extra faculty basketball. However his junior season largely mirrored his sophomore one, Juzang barely enhancing his passing, rebounding and protection whereas remaining a streaky shooter who made 36% of his three-pointers versus 35.3% the earlier season.

It wasn’t sufficient to carry him out of the second spherical in most mock drafts. Juzang additionally couldn’t recapture his scoring output within the NCAA match, averaging 12.3 factors on 40% taking pictures in three video games. He presumably will attempt to enhance his NBA standing on the draft mix subsequent month and in particular person exercises with groups.

“I’m going to proceed to symbolize UCLA and the town of Los Angeles professionally now,” Juzang wrote.

In the meantime, the subsequent group of freshmen will arrive inside Pauley Pavilion, keen to begin their very own legacy involving the 4 letters.