Johnny Juzang is one of the top recruiting targets nationally. He recently announced that he is reclassifying and is taking a visit to Kentucky basketball.
Kentucky basketball is one of the best recruiting programs in the nation for good reason. Even when it seems as their roster is filled with talent from top to bottom, head coach John Calipari is still active on the trail in hopes of filling every possible hole. So even though UK already has three very capable guards on the roster for next season, it should come as no surprise that the coaching staff is eager to add another to shore up any potential weaknesses on the wing. For the time being, it seems as though Kentucky’s top target is 6-foot-6 wing Johnny Juzang.
Originally a member of the 2020 class, Juzang recently announced his intention to reclassify and become eligible at the college level for the 2019-20 season. This has instantly made him one of the top available options for this coming season and Kentucky basketball has been all over it. Coach Calipari recently offered Juzang (just prior to his reclassification) and they have also set up a campus visit for this coming week. These updates in Juzang’s recruitment have come at a rapid-fire pace and that has led to a radical shift in predictions.
Kentucky has quickly emerged as the clear favorite to land Juzang and this is much bigger news now that he is a part of the 2019 class. The last seven Crystal Ball predictions on 247Sports have all swung in the direction of the ‘Cats and noted recruiting analyst Jerry Meyer spoke on this development:
"“As soon as I heard Kentucky offered in the in-home visit, I figured Kentucky would be his destination. The timing just seemed a little too sudden on the offer. Then when he announced his intention to reclassify, it all made a lot of sense to me.”"
It is also important to mention that Kentucky would be filling a relatively substantial hole in the rotation by adding Juzang. Even though the 2019-20 roster already features three key backcourt cogs in Ashton Hagans, Immanuel Quickley, and Tyrese Maxey, the program has to replace a few high-quality wings. And considered shooting was already a weakness of the team before Tyler Herro elected to turn pro, adding a perimeter threat like Juzang is almost mandatory heading into next year.
While also boasting an athletic 6-foot-6 frame, Juzang is well-known as a strong shooter. He moves without the ball well, can spot-up from beyond the arc, and finds his spot in transition as well. Juzang would fit in nicely alongside the playmaking guards expected to be in the UK rotation and he should find his fair share of quality looks from distance. In addition, he also brings the size, length, and athleticism needed to be a strong and versatile defender. This will help him find plenty of minutes.
If Juzang ends up committing to Kentucky, the team is going to be a lot more perimeter-centric than some prior iterations. The backcourt is tremendous and he would add another talented wing to the roster. Kentucky already features three players listed around 6-foot-6 in their 2019 recruiting class and it will be interesting to see which ones will be able to play up a position to the “4”. Regardless, Coach Cal is one of the best in the business with regards to managing talent and creating a coherent rotation. He will find a way to put his best players on the court in their best positions to succeed.
It is, though, vital to mention that this is not a done deal. Juzang is yet to commit to Kentucky and there are several other top programs that will vying to add him to their rosters. Perhaps most notably, he took an official visit to Virginia prior to this past high school season. UK seems to be the heavy favorite at the moment but it is important not to get too far ahead of ourselves prior to a commitment announcement.
In the end, Juzang is heading to Lexington in the near future for his campus visit and will hopefully return in the fall as a program of the program. Kentucky basketball could use another wing shooter heading into this coming campaign and he would fit the bill.