NCAA Basketball: Oregon, Seton Hall in running for grad transfer Shakur Juiston
Even though he’s coming off a serious injury, Shakur Juiston is one of the top NCAA Basketball transfers this offseason. Who are the teams he’s considering?
Shakur Juiston was one of the top Junior College transfers in the class of 2017, picking UNLV over a host of power conference schools. Despite being undersized as a post player at 6’7, he more than made up for it by being a physical force and being a magnet for rebounds.
In his first year as a D-1 player, Juiston averaged 14.6 ppg and 10.0 rpg on 64% from the field, good for 1st in the Mountain West. He had 14 double-doubles and several monster performances, including going for 30 points and 12 rebounds against Northern Colorado and 19 and 12 in the upset road win over Nevada.
Juiston was on his way to putting up similar numbers this past season but went down with a knee injury just eight games in. UNLv of course struggled as a result, going just 17-14 overall and let go head coach Marvin Menzies this offseason. New head coach TJ Otzelberger came in and was able to keep several Rebel players but Juiston still decided to remain in the transfer portal as a grad transfer.
His process has taken longer than others while the health issues were addressed but a healthy Juiston can be an impactful athlete on even a power conference team. He now has a slate of finalists and is set to pick soon.
Source: UNLV grad transfer Shakur Juiston is considering Oregon, Seton Hall, and Grand Canyon. Will make a final decision by June 15th. Immediately eligible. #shbb
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) May 25, 2019
It may seem like a random list of teams but there are positive attributes with each of them when it comes to Juiston. Here’s a look at each program and their need for him.
Grand Canyon
The connection is obvious, with Coach Menzies now an assistant with the Antelopes. Juiston would be joining junior center Alessandro Lever in the frontcourt, replacing previous grad transfer Michael Finke and his 12 ppg. Talented guards Carlos Johnson and Damari Milstead will return as well and with Juiston on board could challenge heavyweight New Mexico State in the WAC.
But it would also be a tough challenge for this grad transfer to make the NCAA Tournament in a one-bid league. The other two options made the Big Dance a season ago and with Juiston would be safe bets to return. We’ll see how strong the connection with Menzies is for this player.
Oregon
There’s a huge need for frontcourt talent to come in after the departures of Bol Bol, Kenny Wooten and Louis King to the NBA. Paul White graduated, Miles Norris transferred as well, leaving sophomore Francis Okoro and some incoming freshmen coming in. Juiston could come in and start for the Ducks while playing with some talented guards like Payton Pritchard.
But could the Pac-12 be too big a jump for Juiston when it comes to the size those teams have? It’s also a possibility that the Ducks add another big man or two in the next two weeks, lessening the appeal for Juiston. The timing of his decision will determine how viable Oregon really is for him.
Seton Hall
The “hometown” program of sorts for the Newark, New Jersey native, the Pirates would give Juiston the chance to come back home for a talented team. He would be the ideal replacement of graduating senior Michael Nzei in the frontcourt and join 6’10 forward Sandro Mamukelashvili and Florida State transfer Ike Obiagu.
Quite frankly, Juiston making this decision past the deadline for NCAA Basketball players to withdraw from the NBA Draft could be a hint. Star junior Myles Powell has to decide soon and his own decision will determine how good the Pirates will be. If he and his 23 ppg come back, Seton Hall would be a top-tier Big East team in 2019-20 and Juiston’s presence could vault them into a second-weekend team.
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Under the assumption that there are no surprise additions/departures, Seton Hall is the likely bet to add Juiston. Not only can he go back east to a team that is in need of his services but the Pirates might even be better than Oregon overall. The grad transfer has one last shot to make the NCAA Tournament and the safest bet of all might just be back at home.