Former Bruin Has Taken Large Strides In Second NBA Season

One of the UCLA Bruins' latest stars is making a name for himself at the NBA level. In his second year in the league, his production and success have immensely improved after going undrafted in 2022.

Apr 12, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Utah Jazz guard Johnny Juzang (33) dribbles the ball against Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George (13) during the first quarter at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images / Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The UCLA Bruins have seen exponential growth from one of their former stars as he delves into his second season in the NBA. Former Bruin guard Johnny Juzang is coming off three of the best games of his young career with the Utah Jazz.

The young role player had a season-high 17 points in the Jazz's first game of November, followed by an eight-point performance the very next game. He continued his success with 12 points on Thursday night in a loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, shooting 3-4 from three-point land.

He is now averaging 16 minutes per game and has taken on a similar role to last season but his production looks to have improved. The Jazz are off to a rough 1-7 start to the season and Juzang will continue to receive quality minutes.

His career-high came in early April last season with 27 points on 9-12 shooting, making seven of eight three-point shots. Juzang has continued his sharp shooting, nailing eight of his last 16 3-point attempts across his past three games.

Juzang is currently averaging 6.3 points per game and shooting 33.5% from beyond the arc. He played in just 20 games in his rookie season and has already participated in five of the team's first eight games this year.

The Tarzana, Calif. native played for the Bruins under head coach Mick Cronin for two seasons spanning from 2020-'22 after transferring from the University of Kentucky. He helped lead the program to the 2021 Final Four, the first appearance for the Bruins since 2008.

A very impressive improvement for a guy who went undrafted coming out of the program in 2022. The strides he has made over just a two-season span have to be recognized, and he is just one of many former Bruins alumni to show their stuff at the NBA level.

Expect Juzang to continue hoisting a fair amount of three pointers and continuing to play a key role for a Jazz team that is seeking to make the playoffs for the first time in three seasons. His minutes and shot-making should continue to improve as he settles into his career at the next level.

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