UCLA’s Johnny Juzang dreamed of something like this, but not this

UCLA guard Johnny Juzang shoots over Michigan guard Mike Smith, left, during the first half of an Elite 8 game in the NCAA tournament on Tuesday in Indianapolis. Even Juzang, who visualized success to push himself through hours of drudgery on the practice court and in the weight room, couldn’t have predicted the way he has carried his team on this deep NCAA tournament run only one season after having averaged 2.9 points per game as a freshman at Kentucky. “It’s pretty surreal to be in the Final Four now,” Juzang told The Times by telephone Wednesday, having led the Bruins to their deepest NCAA tournament run since 2008, “after I had written that down so many years ago.” Being a breakout star on college basketball’s biggest stage has its privileges. #CinderellaContinuesToDance pic.twitter.com/Hh8fOgHoIu — Reggie Miller March 31, 2021 Kentucky’s John Calipari, who spurned UCLA’s overtures for its coaching vacancy two years ago before Mick Cronin took the job, also passed along his congratulations on social media, telling Juzang to fulfill another of his goals and “win it all.” Congratulations to @JohnnyJuzang for his performance last night and for this season. He attended games at Pauley Pavilion during UCLA’s rocking Lonzo Ball season and envisioned himself similarly wowing fans when coach Steve Alford made Juzang a top recruiting priority.