On May 1st the NBA’s Board of Governors voted to postpone the Draft Lottery and Draft Combine in Chicago due to an abundance of caution regarding the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to all of the seniors who have wrapped up their college careers, the early-entry deadline for underclassmen was August 3rd. The lottery took place on August 20th and the draft is scheduled to take place on November 18th. We will spend the upcoming days interviewing as many members of the 2020 draft class as possible. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage by chatting with Shakur Juiston about being a clutch player and what it would mean to him to get drafted.
In 2017 you were named NABC Junior College POY/tourney MVP at Hutchinson Community College: what did it mean to you to win such outstanding honors, and what did it mean to you to win a title? It really meant a lot. Just to be in the atmosphere of a championship gave me a lot of confidence: going out and competing was the most thrilling part. It was a great time in my life and is 1 of the biggest accomplishments in my life.
You averaged 14.6 PPG/10 RPG in your 1st year at UNLV: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? That was part of my whole recruitment: they put me in a position to be successful and they thought that I was their missing piece.
The following year you played in just 8 games before suffering a knee injury and earning a medical redshirt: how bad was the injury, and how were you able to get back onto the court? The pain was tolerable but my knee was not going to be stable so I decided to get surgery. I feel 100% now and can still jump/move/cut.
Why did you decide to transfer, and what made you choose Oregon? My coach at UNLV (Marvin Menzies) got fired so I was just weighing my options for my final year. The Ducks have a history of building good teams and I thought that I could be a good addition.
You played for Coach Dana Altman: what makes him such a good coach, and what was the most important thing that you ever learned from him? He is very open-minded and will listen to his players to get feedback. He made us feel relaxed and everything was very open: he hears us out and puts us in the best position to play our best.
You had 2 game-winning baskets last season in the final seconds: what is the key to being a clutch player? I just like to be ready whenever the opportunity presents itself. I do not try to force things because anything can go wrong. I was just at the right place at the right time and had the right intentions.
You were scheduled to play your in-state rival Oregon State in the Pac-12 tourney last March before learning that the NCAA tourney was canceled due to the coronavirus: what was your reaction when you 1st heard the news, and do you think that it was the right decision? We got the news at breakfast the day before the game so it was heartbreaking to end our season like that. However, we did win the regular season title and get a trophy so that was good enough for me.
Another player hoping to get drafted is your former teammate Payton Pritchard, who was named 1st-team All-American/conference POY: what makes him such a good player, and do you think that we will see him in the NBA next year? His work ethic is 1 of the best that I have ever seen. Before practice, after practice, in the weight room, nutrition: everything he does is to get better each and every day. I would not be surprised if he makes it to the NBA and then shocks a lot of people who doubted him.
What is it like to be an African-American man in 2020? I stay away from politics and just try to keep focused/remain neutral. I have a lot of different friends who feel a certain way so I am not about to judge anyone. I cannot dwell on the past and put the burden on anyone else.
What would it mean to you to get drafted, and if not then do you still want to become a coach? It would mean a lot to both me and my family to see what can be accomplished when you put your mind to it. I would like to keep playing even if I do not get drafted because I love the game. The NBA is the ultimate goal but I will not stress about it. I still want to be a coach someday: basketball is my life.