Shakur Juiston returning to UNLV next year after full recovery

By Mike Grimala (contact)

Wednesday, March 6, 2019 | 2 a.m.

Shakur Juiston will return to UNLV for the 2019-20 season, Rebels coach Marvin Menzies confirmed to The Sun on Tuesday.

Juiston, a 6-foot-8 forward, was set to go out as a senior this season, but his campaign was cut short by a knee injury suffered in a game at Illinois on Dec. 8. Juiston underwent surgery a week later and has missed all 21 games since then. Juiston will take a redshirt year and play out his final season of eligibility in 2019-20.

Menzies is happy to hold on to one of his most productive players, as well as a team leader.

“We fully expect him to return in the scarlet and gray,” Menzies said. “We’re eagerly anticipating his return to the floor to be not just a player, but an experienced guy who can give us some leadership as well.”

Menzies said that Juiston had a redshirt year available, so he will not have to apply for a medical hardship exemption.

Juiston, a New Jersey native, played his first two years at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas. He was a highly regarded juco prospect when UNLV signed him in the spring of 2017, and Juiston lived up to the hype in his first year as a Runnin' Rebel, starting all 33 games while averaging 14.6 points and 10.0 rebounds per contest.

Juiston was averaging 10.8 points and 8.8 rebounds through the first eight games this season before going down with the knee injury.

Menzies said Juiston should make a full recovery and have almost the entire offseason to get back to game speed.

“The surgery was very successful,” Menzies said. “He’s still going through rehab and he’s probably a month away from being able to go full-contact and participate in normal basketball activities. Everything is good. He’s heading in the right direction and healing up great.”

Juiston is on track to graduate this spring and could have tested the NCAA waters in the grad transfer market. He also could have taken the professional route, trying for an NBA career (or barring that, a spot in the G-League or overseas).

Juiston did not take part in UNLV’s Senior Night ceremony before Saturday’s game against Boise State, a hint that he had made his decision to return for another year. He has been around the team during his rehab process, observing practice from the sideline while encouraging his teammates.

“He’s at practice, at film sessions,” Menzies said. “He’s definitely stayed very much involved in the locker room.”

Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.