Chris
Smith is returning to UCLA for his senior season,
putting off the NBA for one more chance to continue his dramatic upward college
trajectory. Sean Smith, Chris’ father, made
the announcement Monday.
“Chris is returning to school due to too much
uncertainty on both sides of the coin,” said Sean Smith, alluding to the
COVID-19 pandemic that led to the cancellation of workouts for NBA prospects
and a delayed draft. “He’ll finish his degree and work to improve in the areas
he needs to improve on.”
Chris Smith’s return means that the core of a
team that won 11 of its last 14 games during coach Mick
Cronin’s debut season at UCLA will come back intact for the 2020-21 season.
The Bruins will also add freshman Jaylen
Clark and Kentucky transfer Johnny
Juzang, putting them in position to be considered among the frontrunners in
the Pac-12. Juzang was granted a waiver giving him immediate eligibility.
“I’m returning for my senior year because I’d
really like to finish what I’ve started at UCLA,” Smith
said in a statement posted on Twitter. “We have some unfinished
business and I want one last run with my teammates and coaches. These guys mean
the world to me. It’s also very important to me to finish up strong in the
classroom and earn my degree.”
Smith was UCLA’s leading scorer and a first-team All-Pac-12
selection last season, averaging 13.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. But he
was projected as a borderline second-round pick in the NBA draft and withdrew
his name from the pool of early entrants after the draft was pushed back from
June to October because of the COVID-19
pandemic.
The
uncertainty surrounding Smith’s draft stock and his inability to significantly
enhance it were compelling reasons for a return to college. NBA teams had been
barred from conducting in-person workouts or interviews with prospects in
recent months because of the novel coronavirus, resulting in little movement
among previous draft projections.
“Chris
is one of the best kids I’ve ever coached — he’s always got a positive
attitude, he allows me to coach him and he’s just a great kid — so selfishly
for me just to be able to be around him for another season, I’m happy about
it,” Cronin said. “From start to finish this year, hopefully he can play with
more consistency and show that he’s a first-round talent. I think there’s
people that think that but they weren’t convinced of it in the draft and coming
back’s going to give him the opportunity to convince people.”
Smith
intrigued NBA scouts as an athletic 6-foot-9 guard with considerable upside and
as someone who just turned 20 in December.
His
improvement came in all facets of his game last season, when he set career
highs in not just points and rebounds but also assists (1.6 per game), steals,
(1.0), field-goal accuracy (45.8%), three-point accuracy (34.1%) and free-throw
accuracy (84%).
His stock soared with a 30-point
outburst against Colorado in late January before questions about
consistency reemerged when he was held to single digits in scoring in four of
his next eight games. He also could be sloppy with his ballhandling and prone
to committing turnovers in bunches, including six during the Bruins’
season-ending loss to USC.
But his return will make him the presumptive go-to scorer on a
team that will bring back all five starters and should be able to avoid the
early season doldrums that left UCLA with a 7-6 record last season after the
end of nonconference play. If things work out, Smith will improve his draft
stock and maybe add another Pac-12 award to a growing collection of conference
hardware.
The Bruins scored one of their biggest
recruiting coups under coach Mick Cronin on Monday evening when the fast-rising
prospect from Long Beach Poly High verbally committed to a school he did not
officially visit because he was already familiar with what it had to offer.
UCLA was close to home, allowing the 6-foot-7
guard ranked as the eighth-best prospect nationally by 247 Sports to
play in front of family and friends after completing his senior year of high
school during the 2020-21 season. He will also be able to attend many of his
younger brother Christian’s high school games. And the Bruins’ list of famous
alumni including Watson favorites Russell Westbrook and Zach LaVine provided
further enticement.
“I’ve been following UCLA closely for a long
time,” Watson, who has developed relationships with other notable Bruins alumni
including Matt Barnes, Darren Collison, Trevor Ariza and Baron Davis, told The
Times on Monday.
Watson became one of the nation’s most coveted players after
flourishing at a USA Basketball Camp last summer and taking on a far more
prominent role for his high school team last season, averaging 23.2 points and
eight rebounds per game. He said he envisioned playing point guard, shooting
guard and small forward at the college level while contributing in a variety of
ways.
Cronin
echoed that vision while recruiting Watson.
“He
just told me that he could see me doing it all for UCLA — rebounding, dishing
it, dribbling, initiating the offense but also scoring the ball as well,”
Watson said of Cronin, who cannot comment on recruits until they sign binding
letters of intent.
Watson’s
commitment significantly enhances a 2021 recruiting class that also includes
Will McClendon, a four-star shooting guard from Las Vegas Bishop Gorman High.
Watson said he’s committed to attending college and would not opt for the
lucrative G League academy like Daishen Nix, the onetime UCLA signee who
spurned the Bruins for professional basketball.
While
Watson went from coming off the bench to starring for the Jackrabbits in the
span of one season, he said his rise was not as fast as it might have seemed.
“I
wouldn’t say I’m an overnight success, even if that’s how people saw it,” Watson
said. “It took years for me to get to where I am, and it’s going to take more
years for me to ultimately get to my prime and be the best I can be.”
Watson said he’s working on enhancing his strength to help his
ballhandling, long-range shooting and ability to jostle with bigger players
near the basket.
The
novel coronavirus pandemic that resulted in a premature end to UCLA’s season
and has prevented most players from returning to campus may have worked to the
Bruins’ advantage when it came to Watson. He had already attended a handful of
UCLA games and knew the campus well before travel outside of Southern
California became problematic.
“Knowing
that we couldn’t take [additional] visits, we were more inclined to make the
decision to go to UCLA,” said Watson, whose uncle Brantley Watson graduated
from the school. “We knew a lot about UCLA that we could definitely see
ourselves there.”
Long Beach Poly senior-to-be Peyton Watson announced his commitment to play his NCAA basketball at UCLA last week, live on a national platform with Fox Sports. It was a thrilling couple of days for Watson and his family, who’ve been working towards this point since he was a toddler.
“It was by far the most exciting day of my life, ever,” said Watson. “The whole day felt like a dream, way more than what I would have expected. It was just so fun.”
Watson made the announcement live with Fox, and was immediately the top story on ESPN, Bleacher Report, and all the college basketball websites. That night, legendary KCBS television sportscaster Jim Hill pulled up to the Watsons’ house in Bixby Knolls to interview him, which brought out all the neighbors to take pictures.
“That’s a dream come true, honestly,” said Watson. “I’ll remember that forever, the news pulling up to my house on commitment day. I’ve seen him on TV my whole life, it was surreal to see him in the neighborhood.”
The surreal scenes didn’t end that evening either, as the family woke up to see Dick Vitale tweeting about how good Watson’s game was, and what a big deal it was for UCLA to keep California’s top recruit home in Southern California.
“Yeah, Dick Vitale was nuts to me,” said Antoinette Watson, Peyton’s mother. “And Snoop Dogg called Pey right after he announced, so that was crazy–we listen to a lot of Snoop. Matt Barnes, Trevor Ariza all checked in with him.”
Peyton said a lot went into his decision, including considerations about the COVID-19 pandemic, which has limited travel. Part of the reason for Watson to stay home was that his family would still be able to see him, and he’ll still be able to go to Poly games to see his younger brother Chris.
“It was by far the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make,” said Peyton. “I built relationships with all the coaches, we had multiple coaches really pressing. They all had nice facilities, they all produce pros. At the end of the day, UCLA just felt like home for me.”
It’s a decision keeping in line with the chart Watson has charted for himself as an old-school type of player. He declined to transfer to a private school or prep program, choosing to play all four years at his local public high school–he said he finds UCLA to have a similar big public school family vibe to Poly.
“They’re the original blue blood and they’re in our backyard,” he said.
Watson’s commitment also means he’s come to the end of the full-time job of being a major college basketball recruit, something that’s occupied quite a bit of time over the last 12 months.
“I’m relieved I’m not waking up to texts at 4 a.m. because the coaches are texting from another time zone,” said Antionette with a laugh. “It’s a relief to not have the phone buzzing all the time. Peyton took the brunt of it–we were so brand new to this process we didn’t have a system set up for it. It was exciting, but I’d look at his phone and there’s 300 text messages, and his DMs are worse. The messages that adults and college students are sending are crazy.”
There are a few more difficult decisions ahead of Watson, but he’s already made them. It’s become a trend over the last year for elite basketball prospects to sign G-League contracts with NBA teams right out of high school, bypassing the NCAA completely. Watson said that isn’t something that interested him.
“Salute to the guys who went to the G-League this year,” he said. “I’m 17, I’m still a kid. If I can’t go straight to the league, I’m going to college to get that experience, mature, get stronger, and continue my education. Whether it’s a year or four years, there’s a value to being at a school like UCLA, that sets you up forever. All the colleges have the program where even if you leave early, you can come back and finish your degree on scholarship.”
The other decision is what to do with his senior season. All basketball players in California are looking at a decision between high school basketball and AAU ball, since the CIF State pushed the high school season to a March start. Watson said he’s done with club ball, and will focus on his high school.
“I’m 100% focused on my senior season with Poly,” he said. “All I’m hoping is we can have a normal season. Playing at home, in front of our fans, is the best thing. We’ll be amazing this year.”
As the whirlwind recruitment is coming to an end, the family is enjoying some quiet time together, with Peyton and Chris both finding time to practice and train.
Their father, Julio, said he’s enjoyed the process, even with its stresses.
“I’ve been with them all along,” he said. “It was surreal and amazing and all the superlatives the last few days, but I just always believed somewhere that we’d be at this point. Seeing Jim Hill and the excitement of the UCLA fan base has been surprising–but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t expect this.”
Top-25 prospect Peyton Watson committed to UCLA on Monday, giving the Bruins the top-ranked player from the state of California for the first time since 2018.
"I'm the No. 1 player in California, and I feel like UCLA is the original blue blood," Watson told ESPN. "It's hard to pass up an amazing school where my parents can see me play and have the support of my community behind me."
Watson, a 6-foot-7 shooting guard from Long Beach Polytechnic High School, is ranked No. 25 in the ESPN 100 for 2021. He averaged 23.5 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists last season.
Watson took official visits to Gonzaga, Washington and Arizona and went to UCLA multiple times unofficially for games.
"I'm a huge family guy," Watson said. "It means a lot to me that my family will be able to come to the games."
Watson is Mick Cronin's second ESPN 100 commitment in the 2021 class, joining four-star shooting guard Will McClendon. Cronin's first full recruiting class in Westwood included just one player, four-star Jaylen Clark, following five-star point guard Daishen Nix's decision to bypass college for the G League.
Cronin also landed Kentucky transfer Johnny Juzang, a former top-30 recruit who received a waiver to play immediately next season for the Bruins.
When Watson arrives on campus, he'll join a team that will remain mostly intact from the 2020-21 season, with only one senior expected on that team.
"I think I can make a huge impact immediately with my versatility and skill set," he said. "My goal is to lead UCLA to a national championship."
LOS ANGELES – The UCLA men's basketball program has received a signed National Letter of Intent from high school senior Jaylen Clark and a grant-in-aid from Johnny Juzang on the first day of the regular signing period, as announced Wednesday by Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Men's Head Basketball Coach.
Clark, a 6-foot-5 guard from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., excelled last season at Etiwanda High School. Juzang, a 6-foot-6 guard from Los Angeles, will transfer to the Bruins' program after he spent his freshman year at the University of Kentucky. Both players will join the Bruins' program in 2020-21 – Clark as a freshman and Juzang as a sophomore.
"Both of these young men are great additions for our program," Cronin said. "Jaylen comes from a great family. He's a true competitor with tremendous athleticism, and he has gone up against some of Southern California's best high school programs. I love that he can play almost any position on the floor. We believe he will develop into a great player for us. During his senior year, he was able to lead his team in multiple ways – some games as the leading scorer, others as the top rebounder, and other games with his assists. Jaylen has been a proven winner at the highest levels of high school basketball, in addition to the national AAU circuit. We are very excited that he chose to be a Bruin."
"Johnny is coming home to be a Bruin, and we're thrilled to have him join us in Westwood. He and I have spent a lot of time on the phone under these ongoing pandemic restrictions, even though we're just three miles from each other. It's been great getting to know him. He has a terrific support system with his family, and I know he's excited to get started at UCLA. He's always been a talented scorer, and he proved that at Kentucky when he had opportunities. He excelled at a terrific high school, and he certainly has a chance to develop into an outstanding all-around player. Johnny has learned the value of hard work and perseverance, especially during his last season. He wants to help UCLA win big and that means a lot to me. We're thankful he chose to become a Bruin, and I can't wait to thank him in person and get to work."
Clark has been ranked as high as No. 63, nationally, in his high school class by Rivals.com. He secured All-CIF Southern Section Open Division honors last season, helping guide Etiwanda to a 30-4 overall record and an appearance in the CIF-SS Open Division regional final after a semifinal victory over Mater Dei. Clark averaged 18.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. He earned second-team all-state acclaim in California from MaxPreps.com and was a first-team all-area selection by the San Bernardino Sun.
Juzang played in 28 games as a freshman at Kentucky in 2019-20, making two starts. He scored a season-high 13 points in a game at Tennessee on Feb. 8, shooting 3-for-3 from beyond the 3-point arc in 24 minutes. Juzang finished his freshman campaign having averaged 2.9 points and 1.9 rebounds per game.
Juzang had been ranked among the top 35 players in his high school class at Harvard-Westlake in 2018-19, listed as high as No. 29 (by ESPN.com). He reclassified during his final year of high school, averaging 23.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists as a junior in 2018-19. That season, he was named the MVP of the Mission League. He earned first-team All-CIF Southern Section Division I acclaim in each of his three years at Harvard-Westlake. Both Clark and Juzang will join an incoming UCLA class that also features guard Daishen Nix, who recently concluded his high school career at Trinity International School in Las Vegas. Nix, a 6-foot-5 guard who signed a National Letter of Intent in November 2019, has been ranked as high as No. 11 in his high school class by 247Sports.com. In addition, Nix has been rated the nation's top point guard by 247Sports.com.
Johnny Juzang was a
regular at Pauley Pavilion while being wooed by some of the nation’s top
college basketball programs as a local high school prospect, attending UCLA
games and practices while getting to know the players.
Now he can call them his teammates.
Juzang announced on Twitter on Thursday that he
is transferring to UCLA after spending his freshman season at Kentucky in a
move that could significantly bolster the Bruins’ backcourt.
“Seeing that energy, all of that,” Juzang said
in a telephone interview, “it was definitely kind of like a dream of mine to
play for UCLA.”
Juzang, a 6-foot-6 guard who starred at Studio
City Harvard-Westlake High, averaged 2.9 points and 1.9 rebounds in 12.4
minutes per game as a Kentucky reserve but began to flourish late in the
season. He made 10 of his last 20 three-point attempts and scored 10 points in
a career-high 33 minutes during a comeback victory over Florida.
Juzang entered the transfer portal after the
season amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, providing an opportunity to move
close to home while playing for a team he always adored. He had strongly
considered UCLA out of high school but didn’t have much time to establish a
relationship with new coach Mick Cronin and his staff after reclassifying into
the Class of 2019 last spring and picking Kentucky.
Juzang said he had no regrets about his initial
college choice.
“The experience at Kentucky was great,” he said.
“I got so much better there and just grew so much and learned so much,
basketball-wise, but also outside of that. I’m really glad with the decision I
made to go there and forgo my senior year because it is one of the biggest
programs and it’s arguably the biggest stage [in college basketball]. To have a
year of experience there is something I’m really happy to have under my belt
and I’m grateful for that experience.”
Juzang said he would pursue a waiver for
immediate eligibility. He’ll join a growing list of Bruins newcomers that also
includes Las Vegas Trinity International School point guard Daishen Nix and
Rancho Cucamonga Etiwanda High shooting guard Jaylen Clark. Even if junior
guard Chris Smith departs for the NBA after recently declaring for the draft,
the Bruins should be stocked with their best roster since Lonzo Ball led them
to a 31-5 record during the 2016-17 season, enticing Juzang to make his own
history at UCLA.
“Thinking about competing for a national title
for the hometown team under coach Cronin is something that genuinely motivates
me and wants me to get after it,” Juzang said, “so I’m super excited.”
Whenever Juzang makes his home debut, he figures
to have a large contingent of family and friends in the stands.
“With no traffic, it’s a 20-minute drive to get
into the underground parking lot at Pauley Pavilion,” said Maxie Juzang,
Johnny’s father. “To think that we can go to every home game and potentially
even some of the other Pac-12 games is just amazing.”
Juzang left Kentucky in late March after just one season, and committed to UCLA in early April. When he announced his commitment to the Bruins, he made it clear that he was going to pursue a waiver to play immediately.
"We've very excited that Johnny will be able to play for us next season,'' coach Mick Cronin said. "Johnny is a talented player who can definitely make an impact for us.''
A 6-foot-6 shooting guard from Los Angeles, Juzang played in 28 games as a freshman, starting two, and averaged 2.9 points and 1.9 rebounds. He saw an increased role in the final couple games of the regular season, playing a season-high 33 minutes in a comeback win over Florida in the season finale. Juzang scored in double-figures twice last season, going for 13 points at Tennessee and 10 points in the aforementioned victory over the Gators. He shot 40.7% from 3-point range in SEC play.
He was a sought-after prospect coming out of high school, ranking No. 30 in the ESPN 100 for the 2019 class. He was originally in the 2020 class but reclassified into 2019 last April and committed to Kentucky in early May 2019.
Cronin went 19-12 in his first season as the head coach at UCLA, but the Bruins won 11 of their final 14 games to finish just one game behind Oregon in the Pac-12 race. If Chris Smith withdraws from the NBA draft, Cronin will bring back nearly his entire rotation while also adding Juzang. Five-star point guard Daishen Nix announced earlier this month that he was decommitting from UCLA and entering the G-League.
