Senior Ducks forward Shakur Juiston’s collegiate career has been marked by both ups and downs.
After playing his freshman and sophomore years at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas, he had planned to play his remaining years at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. But not all went as planned.
Juiston spent the following two seasons of eligibility at UNLV. Eight games into his senior season, he suffered a knee injury that would sideline him for the remainder of the year. With a lengthy recovery period ahead, Juiston utilized a medical redshirt and elected to transfer the following year.
Ranked as the third-overall, immediately eligible transfer by ESPN’s Jeff Borzello, Juiston quickly caught Oregon head coach Dana Altman’s eye. The Ducks were in rebuild mode, with only six remaining scholarship players, and Juiston certainly fit the bill. With his senior year still ahead of him, Juiston found a new home in Eugene.
After sustaining an injury to his knee in the Ducks’ Battle 4 Atlantis matchup against North Carolina in late November 2019, Juiston was once again forced to take some time away from the court, missing the next five games.
Now, after playing in 18 of the Ducks’ 23 games this season, Juiston seems to be making the adjustment just fine. Juiston has played efficiently in games against highly ranked opponents, putting up 17 points in the Ducks’ victory over then-No. 13 Memphis, followed by his 12-point performance against then-No. 13 Seton Hall.
But there’s also been a level of inconsistency to his stat sheet. The Newark, New Jersey, native had his season low against then-No. 24 Arizona, playing through 28 minutes without a single point. Juiston also struggled against USC, where he put up only five points through 21 minutes of play. But points aside, it’s become clear that Juiston’s presence on the court brings much more to the table than scoring.
For Juiston, it’s the unsung roles that he relishes.
Despite not being in Eugene for long, Juiston’s years of experience at the college level have allowed him to take a leadership role this year, especially among younger bigs N’Faly Dante and Chandler Lawson.
“I always tell Chandler to just be confident in whatever you do, even if it’s a mistake,” Juiston said. “Just be confident. You’re here to play basketball.”
Leadership isn’t the only thing that can be expected from Juiston, either. The senior is a force on defense, producing his season high in rebounds in the Ducks’ win over Memphis, tallying 10.
Juiston has also proven himself to be a threat when it comes to generating turnovers, reaching four steals in Oregon’s late-January win over UCLA, where he also added 11 points to the Ducks’ 96-point total.
He’s also showcased his ability to spread the floor and find passing lanes.
“I love getting people the ball,” Juiston said after his nine-assist game against Boise State. “If I don’t score, but people are scoring around me, I feel good.”
With such a young roster, having upperclassmen like Juiston is invaluable. Not only can it be beneficial from a leadership standpoint, but it takes pressure off the younger players, allowing them to refine and develop their games as the season goes on.
“I think that Anthony [Mathis] and Shakur have really helped that [team chemistry],” Altman said. “When you get a couple older guys, it gives the freshmen a little more time to make the adjustment.”
With the No. 14-ranked Ducks now nearly halfway through Pac-12 play, there are still several battles ahead, and everyone must play a role. Juiston has come into his own, making his footprint not only on the court, but in the locker room as well.
