Johnny Juzang Bio
Jonathan Anh Juzang, known professionally as Johnny Juzang, is an American professional basketball player who most recently played for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA) on a two-way contract with the Iowa Wolves of the NBA G League. Standing 6 feet 7 inches tall and weighing 226 pounds, Juzang plays the shooting guard position and is recognized for his perimeter scoring and smooth shooting stroke. After a celebrated college career that included leading the UCLA Bruins to the 2021 Final Four, he has continued to develop his game across multiple professional stops in the NBA and now in international competition.
Born on March 17, 2001, in Los Angeles, California, Juzang has built his reputation as a confident scorer with deep range and a calm touch in big moments. Since entering professional basketball in 2022, he has suited up for the Utah Jazz, the Salt Lake City Stars, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Iowa Wolves, and Zenit Saint Petersburg of the VTB United League.
Early Life and Background
Jonathan Anh Juzang was born on March 17, 2001, in Los Angeles, California. He grew up in a culturally rich household, with his father, Maxie Juzang, of Creole heritage, and his mother, Hanh Juzang, who is Vietnamese. This diverse upbringing helped shape his identity and his competitive character from a young age. After repeating the eighth grade, Juzang enrolled at Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles, where his basketball talent quickly began to blossom.
During his freshman year at Harvard-Westlake, Juzang averaged 16.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and two assists per game, playing alongside teammate Cassius Stanley. He delivered 21 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists in the final as Harvard-Westlake captured the CIF Southern Section Division 1A championship. As a sophomore, he raised his production to 22.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game, guiding the team to a 22-6 record. In his junior season, he averaged 23 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists, earning Mission League Most Valuable Player honors and leading Harvard-Westlake to its first league title since 2011 with a 25-point performance against rival Loyola.
After his junior year, Juzang reclassified from the 2020 class to the 2019 class, accelerating his path to college basketball. Rated a four-star recruit and one of the top small forwards in his class, he committed to the University of Kentucky on May 10, 2019, choosing the Wildcats over Virginia.
Path to Basketball
Juzang’s path to elite basketball began in Los Angeles, where he developed his offensive skill set at one of the most competitive high school programs in California. His consistent scoring and rebounding production at Harvard-Westlake drew national attention, and his reclassification move made him an early college entry. His commitment to Kentucky reflected the program’s longstanding appeal to top recruits and set the stage for his transition to the highest level of college basketball.
As a freshman at the University of Kentucky in 2019-2020, Juzang played behind Tyrese Maxey and Immanuel Quickley, appearing mostly in catch-and-shoot situations. He scored a season-high 13 points with three three-pointers in a 77-64 win over Tennessee on February 8, 2020, and finished the year averaging 2.9 points on 37.7 percent shooting in 12.4 minutes per game. After the season, citing loneliness away from his family and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Juzang announced his decision to transfer and ultimately chose UCLA, where he was granted an immediate eligibility waiver.
Johnny Juzang Career
Early Career (2019-2020)
Juzang’s first taste of high-level basketball came during his single season at the University of Kentucky, where he adjusted to the physical and tactical demands of SEC play. Working under Hall of Fame coach John Calipari, he developed his perimeter skills and learned to compete against older, more experienced defenders. While his statistical output was modest, the experience of practicing daily alongside future NBA players sharpened his approach to the game.
His most notable freshman moment came against Tennessee, when his three-point shooting helped Kentucky secure a key conference victory. The lessons of that season ultimately pushed Juzang to seek a fresh start closer to home, a decision that would soon transform his career trajectory.
UCLA Breakthrough (2020-2022)
Juzang arrived at UCLA and quickly became the centerpiece of the Bruins’ offense. After missing the first four games of the 2020-2021 season with a stress reaction in his right foot, he returned to score 10 points off the bench against San Diego and moved into the starting lineup the following game against Marquette. On January 24, 2021, he erupted for 27 points in a 73-72 overtime loss to Stanford, including a stretch of 21 consecutive points for the Bruins. He later set a then-career high with 32 points in a 64-61 win over Washington, becoming the first UCLA player since Reggie Miller 35 years earlier to score at least half of his team’s points in a single game. He earned second-team All-Pac-12 honors as UCLA’s leading scorer.
In the 2021 NCAA tournament, Juzang elevated his profile on the national stage. He scored 28 points in a 51-49 upset of No. 1 seed Michigan to send UCLA to its first Final Four since 2008, including 18 first-half points and a run of 12 consecutive points for the Bruins. He became the first player to score at least half of his team’s points in a regional finals win since Oscar Robertson in 1960 and was named the East Region’s Most Outstanding Player. In the national semifinal against 1-seed Gonzaga, Juzang scored 29 points, including the game-tying basket with 3.3 seconds left in overtime, before Jalen Suggs answered with a 40-foot buzzer beater. He averaged 22.8 points across six tournament games, was named to the 2021 All-Tournament Team, and finished with 137 NCAA tournament points, the second most in UCLA history behind Gail Goodrich’s 140 in 1965.
As a junior in 2021-2022, Juzang battled injuries, including a sore hip from a scooter accident, a sprained right ankle, and a positive COVID-19 test, but still led UCLA in scoring and was named a third-team All-American by the National Association of Basketball Coaches and a first-team All-Pac-12 selection. He was a finalist for the Jerry West Award and appeared on the final ballot for the John R. Wooden Award before ending his college career with a Sweet Sixteen loss to North Carolina.
Utah Jazz Era (2022-2025)
After going undrafted in the 2022 NBA draft, Juzang joined the Utah Jazz for the 2022 NBA Summer League, though his debut was delayed by a concussion suffered in a car crash shortly after arriving in Utah. He signed a two-way contract with the Jazz and made his NBA debut on February 28, 2023, scoring three points in a 102-94 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. He missed over a month with a serious wrist sprain during his rookie season but continued to develop his game in the G League with the Salt Lake City Stars.
In 2023-2024, Juzang set a then-career high with 19 points against the Atlanta Hawks on March 15, 2024, and later scored 27 points against the Golden State Warriors on April 7, 2024. On August 13, 2024, he signed a four-year contract with the Jazz, signaling the franchise’s belief in his long-term potential. On June 30, 2025, however, the Jazz waived him, opening the door to his next opportunity.
Minnesota Timberwolves Era (2025-2026)
On August 1, 2025, Juzang signed a one-year, non-guaranteed contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves and was converted to a two-way contract on October 18, 2025, allowing him to shuttle between the Timberwolves and their G League affiliate, the Iowa Wolves. He appeared in 21 games for Minnesota, averaging 2.0 points and 0.8 rebounds in 4.2 minutes per contest, before being waived on February 18, 2026.
Notable Events and Milestones
Juzang’s signature moment remains his 28-point performance in the 2021 NCAA tournament Elite Eight against Michigan, which propelled UCLA back to the Final Four for the first time in 13 years. He joined Reggie Miller and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the third UCLA player ever to score at least 20 points in his first two NCAA tournament games. His 137 career NCAA tournament points rank second in program history, and his Most Outstanding Player award for the East Region remains one of the defining individual honors of his career.
Johnny Juzang Career Wins
Across his college and professional career, Johnny Juzang has built a reputation as a clutch scorer and reliable perimeter shooter, though his professional trophy case remains in development. At Harvard-Westlake, he captured the CIF Southern Section Division 1A championship and a Mission League title. At UCLA, he earned All-Tournament Team honors in the 2021 NCAA tournament and was named the East Region’s Most Outstanding Player, even though the Bruins came up short of a national championship. As a professional, he has not yet secured a major individual award, but his contract progression with the Utah Jazz, from two-way deal to a four-year pact, marked a significant validation of his scoring potential.
College Highlights
Juzang’s two seasons at UCLA produced the bulk of his most memorable performances, including four 30-point games and a memorable run to the 2021 Final Four. His second-team All-Pac-12 nod in 2021 and his third-team All-American and first-team All-Pac-12 selections in 2022 underscore his standing among the nation’s elite scorers during his college years.
Johnny Juzang Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Juzang comes from a close-knit family with strong athletic and cultural roots. His father, Maxie Juzang, is of Creole descent, and his mother, Hanh Juzang, is Vietnamese, giving Johnny a diverse multicultural background that has shaped his perspective both on and off the court.
Personal Life
Juzang’s older brother, Christian Juzang, played college basketball as a point guard at Harvard University and later played professionally in the Vietnam Basketball Association with the Saigon Heat. He also has a younger sister named Lauren. Family ties have remained central to his story, and his decision to transfer from Kentucky to UCLA was largely motivated by a desire to be closer to his loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic.
2025 Season Performance
Johnny Juzang’s 2025 campaign was defined by transition and resilience. After being waived by the Utah Jazz on June 30, 2025, he signed a one-year, non-guaranteed deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves on August 1, 2025, and was converted to a two-way contract on October 18, 2025. Across 21 appearances with the Timberwolves, he averaged 2.0 points and 0.8 rebounds in 4.2 minutes per game, providing depth on the wing while spending additional developmental time with the Iowa Wolves of the NBA G League.
While his box-score numbers in Minnesota were modest, Juzang remained a reliable shooter and a hard-working rotation piece, continuing to refine his defensive approach and playmaking instincts. The combination of NBA and G League minutes offered him a platform to showcase his scoring touch in shorter bursts, and his professionalism kept him in the league’s pipeline.
Looking ahead, Juzang’s international move to Zenit Saint Petersburg of the VTB United League signals a fresh chapter in his professional journey. The opportunity to take on a larger role in a competitive European league should allow him to log meaningful minutes, expand his game, and position himself for a return to the NBA down the road.
