Johnny Juzang Represents UCLA on Wooden Award Watch List, Jaime Jaquez Misses Cut
While one Bruin is no longer in the running for the top individual honor in the country, another is still holding on to his spot in the race.
No. 3 UCLA men's basketball (16-2, 8-1 Pac-12) guard Johnny Juzang was named one of the 20 members of the late season watch list for the John R. Wooden Award on Monday. Juzang was part of the midseason watch list released on Jan. 6, as was teammate guard/forward Jaime Jaquez Jr.
But whereas Jaquez has missed time with injuries and seen his numbers fall off in recent weeks, Juzang has only improved as the season has gone on. Of course, he did miss the Bruins' two home games against Cal and Stanford over the weekend due to COVID-19 protocols, but he is in line to return Thursday against Arizona.
Juzang appeared in 23 consecutive games for UCLA dating back to last postseason, when he notably ascended to becoming a March Madness hero by averaging 22.6 points per game throughout the NCAA tournament. So far in 2021-2022, Juzang is averaging 18.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 0.7 steals per game while shooting 45.6% from the field and 39.5% from deep.
Those shooting clips are both improvements on his numbers from a year ago, and while his free throw percentage has taken a slight dip, his attempts have gone up and his 83.7% mark is still No. 1 in the Pac-12. Juzang has the third-lowest turnover rate in the Pac-12 while ranking second in the conference in points per game. Among high major players, Juzang ranks No. 15 in scoring.
On a per 100 possession basis, Juzang has set career highs across the board, and that's after entering the season as a unanimous preseason All-American.
Juzang has twice been named Pac-12 Player of the Week – first after helping UCLA defeat then-No. 5 Villanova at home in November, then again after averaging 25.5 points per game in the Bruins' road sweep of Utah and Colorado two weekends ago. Across his last five appearances, Juzang is putting up 22.6 points a night on .513/.500/.862 shooting splits.
USC forward Isaiah Mobley and Arizona guard Bennedict Mathurin were also among the 20 players on the late season watch list, as were Villanova guard Collin Gillespie and Gonzaga big men Drew Timme and Chet Holmgren. Juzang beat Gillespie to start the year, was unable to keep pace with Timme and Holmgren later in November, got the better of Mathurin last week with a chance to do so again should he be available Thursday and has yet to face Mobley's Trojans.
Juzang is also in the running for the Jerry West Award, given annually to the top shooting guard in the nation. Juzang was on the preseason watch list for that award, and the watch list will be updated Tuesday as the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame goes position-by-position trimming down their list of contenders for the "men's starting five."
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