John Calipari and Johnny Juzang comment on commitment

John Calipari and his Kentucky Wildcats have struck again.

On Friday night, four-star wing Johnny Juzang announced he’ll be rocking that Kentucky blue for college. The former five-star 2020 recruit recently reclassified into the 2019 class, where he is a four-star recruit who just narrowly missed out on that fifth star.

Juzang’s highest ranking is 29th by ESPN, followed by 30th at 247 Sports and 32nd at Rivals.

But while Juzang might not be a top-five recruit, he’s still a massive addition for Kentucky, not just in the sense of how talented he is, but also because his specialty is shooting.

With Jemarl Baker transferring, shooting is easily this team’s biggest question mark heading into next season. Juzang is one of the best shooters in this class, so expect him to earn a role next season, even if it is shaping up to be a loaded team at all five spots.

Shortly after Juzang announced his commitment, Kentucky announced that the talented wing had signed his national letter of intent, allowing head coach John Calipari to comment on the big addition.

“Johnny can really score the basketball,” Calipari said. “You’re talking about a kid who has a college-ready body, which is why I was in full support of him reclassifying. When he told us he was doing it, I said let’s do this. He can really shoot the basketball and has a great skill set, but what I love about him is his will to win, his fight and competitiveness. He likes to play physical and can shoot over the top of defenders, plus he’s a very good rebounder for his age. He’s a smart player who is really going to make us a different team next year.”

As for Juzang himself, he wanted to be on a team like Kentucky that’s full of talented players that will push him to become the best version of himself, and it also helps that he’s playing for a Hall of Fame coach.

“I want to be in an environment that challenges me, but also one that I can showcase my skill, fight and toughness,” Juzang said of committing to the Wildcats. “The opportunity to play for a Hall of Fame coach and shine on the biggest stage in college basketball in front of the greatest fans in the world is somewhat of a dream. I can’t wait to get started.”

Kentucky now has the top-ranked 2019 recruiting class via 247 Sports.

Booya!