Kentucky adds Johnny Juzang and makes jump in team rankings

Let the record show, John Calipari can still teach a master class when it comes to recruiting. Friday, Calipari and Kentucky scored another major piece when they added sharp shooting wing Johnny Juzang.

Juzang discussed his commitment with Rivals.com.

“I think Kentucky is a phenomenal program and I have always have been a big fan of them,” he said. “I think it is a place where I will grow tremendously, play for a great staff and with a great team, and have a great chance to make a big run.”

A 6-foot-7 wing from North Hollywood (Calif.) Harvard Westlake who was originally a member of the class of 2020, Juzang visited Lexington not too long ago and came away impressed with Calipari's vision of him as a floor-stretching wing and the thought that the Wildcats could be pretty good.

Juzang went through the process of reclassification and to committing and while it seemed that Kentucky was a late entrant into his recruitment, they were in the mix all along.

“They had been recruiting me throughout my junior year and had come out to meet me several times, so I already had a good relationship with them. Obviously, the recruiting process was sped up with my reclassification but it wasn’t just out of nowhere,” he said before discussing were he sees himself fitting. “I will space he floor, obviously. I see myself as a complete player and will contribute as a guard, scoring, facilitating, and just being a good teammate.”

Let's be clear here, Juzang is more than just a spot up shooter. Because of his size and good strength, he's also an effective low post scorer, has a mid post game and he's turned himself into a solid defender at the high school level. He plays hard, he's not afraid of a big moment and he's had a lot of exposure to high level competition as he's made his way through the grassroots ranks playing in the summers with the Compton Magic.

The fifth member of the the Wildcats class, Juzang joins five-star point guard Tyrese Maxey, five-star small forward Kahlil Whitney, five-star combo forward Keion Brooks and four-star wing Dontaie Allen. Kentucky remains very much in the hunt for five-star four man Jaden McDaniels but the addition of Juzang is enough, at least for now, to move them into the top spot of 2019's team recruiting rankings.