NCAA Basketball: 25 biggest offseason winners heading into 2021-22 season

After the surprising and exceptional Final Four run in the Big Dance, the UCLA Bruins program was back into the national spotlight. And considering that they didn’t have any seniors outside of Chris Smith, there was a chance that the Bruins could run it back and be a preseason national title contender in 2022.

But all of that depended on the decision of leading scorer Johnny Juzang. The former Kentucky castoff was great in the regular season but really became a star in the NCAA Tournament, averaging around 25 ppg and having some “One Shining Moments” of his own. His NBA Draft was at an all-time high and could’ve left this offseason.

Instead, he waiting until the very last minute of the deadline to announce his intentions to return, automatically making them the Pac-12 favorite and a top-10 preseason team, with some having them as high as No. 2. It makes sense, as they bring back everyone who contributed in the Final Four run and adds Rutgers transfer Myles Johnson to the frontcourt, along with five-star freshman wing Peyton Watson.

The most important and watched for 50/50 draft decision was Juzang and his return has UCLA truly back on the map. There will still be some who wonder if that postseason run was a fluke so they’ll have to prove it in the regular season. If they do, don’t be shocked if many pick them to go deep again next March.