Per Bill Riley Ahmad Fields is transferring to Drexel.
From (presumably) no offers in the early signing period to having NBA potential today? This kind of development against inferior competition in just six months? Tap the brakes already.
No doubt it's our best class. You forgot Greg Barratt from the 94 class. Even the best classes usually have a player who cannot keep pace with the others. Not everyone can be a star or key contributor (although Barratt had a nice career at Cornell).
If I read right, he is only 220lbs and he's currently playing in a league that is the equivalent of the upper league of Bountiful county rec.--and he averages 12 points. He's probably got a ton of upside and is probably extremely mobile, but he also likley lacks a lot of basketball IQ that he will need to develop. We always get giddy over the new recruits but most of them either don't pan out or take time. I think Jakob will take time
If I am wrong I will eat crow publicly on this site.
This is my expectation, too, and I'm fine with it. What I'm stoked about is that we got (in theory) a legitimate "big" in this class. LK's been doing great with stocking the roster with 6' 5" to 6' 9" guys, but sooner than later we needed another 6' 10"+ player who can contribute once Bach is gone.
Like I said earlier, we're deep into Hot Stove League discussion. Everyone is speculating about what Dunkenstein's deficiencies might be. But: (1) our staff wants him; (2) Cal and Arizona had him in for an official visit; and (3) Krysko knows big men and has shown that he can spot talent; so I say we ought to look forward to seeing how he pans out. We'll probably know a lot more in 9-10 months.
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
--Antoine de Saint-Exupery
"Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
--Yeats
“True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”
--John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell
Poeltl could be the second coming of Dirk Nowitzki, but that doesn't change the fact that his competition in Austria is terribly weak. You can't teach height is cliche, but it's gospel truth. And even if Poeltl does nothing for Utah, it doesn't reflect poorly on Larry at all. No coach has ever taken heat for recruiting a 7-footer who turned out not to be able to play, because there are only so many such people walking the planet, you gotta take your chances with the ones you're able to get.
Truthfully, the Cal/Arizona visits would mean a lot more if this kid was 6-6, because there's a bigger pool for that kind of player to fight through to get that kind of attention.
Seattle,
You are exactly right. The coaches are very aware of this - especially with Poeltl. Everybody wins if he can get on the court and contribute this season. I appreciate SoCal's efforts to bring perspective about level of competition but the staff strongly believes that he comes in much more skilled offensively than Bachynski or Olsen were. That's no surprise but given that neither of them have progressed a lot offensively, he'll have an opportunity to get on the court.
'biq
“It only ends once. Anything that happens before that is just progress.”
Well, because he thought it was good sport. Because some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.
“It only ends once. Anything that happens before that is just progress.”
Well, because he thought it was good sport. Because some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.
Some interesting Pöltl news. This is from the Light the U blog (a blog that seems like a pretty serious effort by some able writers; I like it):
Light The U recently reached out to the Pöltl family to congratulate Jakob on his commitment to Utah and ask a few questions. Jakob’s mother told me that they are very excited about his commitment. She also gave some great insight as to why He chose to play at Utah:
On why Jakob chose Utah:
On how Utah’s coaching staff factored into Jakob’s decision:
Jakob decided [on] Utah because we think it’s the best situation for him from a basketball point of view and because we think that the staff at Utah will help Jakob to reach his goals and will care for him – [which] is also very important for us because we live far away.
The coaching staff was the major factor for Jakob’s decision: Larry Krystkowiak showed from the beginning of the recruiting process that he really wants Jakob for his team, we’ve built a very good relationship with him and Andy Hill (who watched Jakob playing at the U18 European Championship last summer) over the past 8 months, they recruited Jakob the hardest. We think that Larry Krystkowiak will be an excellent coach for Jakob because of his personality, because of his background as a player and because of his experience as a coach, especially for big men. I do believe that he and Jakob are a great fit! And Utah has even another 2 coaches that played at the position of a PF/C themselves. We are convinced that Jakob can profit and learn a lot from the coaches at Utah! And we know that for the [Utah staff] the success in the classroom is important too.On how the team factored into his decision:
Of course the team was also very important for Jakob’s decision: We followed the development of the teams that recruited Jakob and saw that the Utes are on the up and up. Due to the competition in the frontcourt Jakob will have a challenge at every practice, he will improve fast. It looks like it will be a very good, competitive and variable team next year and Jakob would love to contribute to the success of this team! Jakob is looking forward to get to know his new teammates!On how they felt during Jakob’s recruiting visit to Utah:
Everybody we met at our visit was very friendly, we felt really welcomed. Even the fans had prepared a message for Jakob when we watched the game at our visit. I’m confident that Jakob will be in good hands!On Jakob’s upcoming timeline:
Jakob will come to Utah [at the] end of June – after he has finished school – for the 2nd session of summer school. His plans between now and [then] are to finish school, to stay in shape and to get ready for the move.
Last edited by LA Ute; 04-24-2014 at 12:45 PM.
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
--Antoine de Saint-Exupery
"Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
--Yeats
“True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”
--John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell
So Dinwiddie is supposed to announce his NBA intentions today. I think I'd rather he come back.
The negative side of a better CU is they could beat us twice. The positive side is a better CU team will help our RPI and make the Mountain State swing much more difficult for opponents. I like the idea of catching UCLA and Arizona on the heals of a tough CU game.
Good article on Poeltl in the SLTrib today:
Austrian center Jakob Poeltl 'excited' to be joining Runnin' Utes
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
--Antoine de Saint-Exupery
"Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
--Yeats
“True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”
--John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell
Robert Jackson @rojackKSL 4m
Utes announce new five-year contract for basketball coach Larry Krystkowiak, through 2018-19 season #GoUtes
Kyle Goon @kylegoon 1m
It's official: Larry Krystkowiak has agreed his 5-year contract with the #Utes. $1.4 million in total compensation per year.
Press release:
SALT LAKE CITY-- University of Utah men's basketball coach Larry Krystkowiak has agreed to a five-year contract through the 2018-19 academic year, Director of Athletics Dr. Chris Hill announced today.
Krystkowiak's compensation package will total $1.4 million a year. In addition, there are two retention clauses in the agreement: Krystkowiak will receive a $375,000 bonus if he stays through the 2016-17 season and another $375,000 if he stays for the length of his contract.
"Our men's basketball program continues to make tremendous progress under Coach Krystkowiak and his staff," Hill stated. "He has embraced being a part of the Utah family and immersed himself in the Salt Lake community. I am excited about the future of our program under his leadership and look forward to continued success on, and off, the court. "
"I'm very excited and honored about the commitment from Dr. Hill." Krystkowiak added. "He and I have a tremendous working relationship and I want to thank him for the support and belief he has shown to me and the program. I love the situation here and a lot of people and players associated with Utah Basketball have worked extremely hard to get us to this position."
Krystkowiak, entering his fourth year as head coach of the Utes, led the team to 21 wins last season and their best finish since joining the Pac-12 Conference. Utah also reached the postseason for the first time since 2009 as it participated in the National Invitational Tournament.
"I think this is one of the best college jobs in America," Krystkowiak said. "We have a lot of positive momentum right now with the team coming back and the offseason additions. We have the new facility being built and renovations are being made to the Huntsman Center. We still have a lot of work to do but we are on the cusp of doing some special things and I'm proud to be a part of it."
This past season, Krystkowiak mentored Delon Wright, who became the first All-Pac-12 player in program history. The team has also succeeded in the classroom with five players being named to the Pac-12 All-Academic squad in March.
Last edited by LA Ute; 04-24-2014 at 05:07 PM.
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
--Antoine de Saint-Exupery
"Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
--Yeats
“True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”
--John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell
Somebody with a subcription should see if Poodle is on here.
http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/ncbexperts/post?id=2196
So apparently all of the KY guys except Randle are staying. I only want what's best for Delon. But there are a lot of really good playes in college ball who aren't ready for the NBA or will never play NBA. It's a monstrously competitive world.
Last edited by SeattleUte; 04-25-2014 at 10:47 AM.
One thing I have learned in a long life: that all our science, measured against reality, is primitive and childlike -- and yet it is the most precious thing we have.
--Albert Einstein
The fact that life evolved out of nearly nothing, some 10 billion years after the universe evolved out of literally nothing, is a fact so staggering that I would be mad to attempt words to do it justice.
--Richard Dawkins
Be kind to all, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle.
--Philo
SALT LAKE CITY - Utah men's basketball headcoach Larry Krystkowiak has announced the addition of Jakob Poeltl for the2014-15 season.
“We are really excited to have Jakob join our program as he will give usversatility at the power forward and center positions,” Krystkowiak said. “Heis committed to coming here and maximizing his basketball potential. Over thepast year he has been playing against men so he is a little more seasoned asfar as level of competition. Adding Jakob, a coveted big man, to our mix ofinternational players, is something we feel is a blueprint to success in thePac-12.”
Poeltl is a seven-footer hailing from Austria, and chose the Utes after alsomaking visits to Cal and Arizona. He displays outstanding offensive efficiencyafter shooting almost 75 percent from the floor in the top domestic league, theBundesliga. Poeltl was named an all-star after averaging 12.7 points, 7.7rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game for the Arkadia Traiskirchen Lions.
In 2013, he captained the U-18 Austrian national team at the EuropeanChampionships and was named to the second team by Eurobasket. Poeltl was partof the national championship team at the U-16 level and dominated the ‘B’division of the Bundesliga, being named two-time MVP when he suited up for theVienna DC Timberwolves.
His leaping abilities and running skills help him to be a good factor intransition. Overall, he is considered as being greatly skilled for a player ofhis size due to his fundamentals and footwork.
“Jakob has made great sacrifices to get to this point,” Krystkowiak added. “Hehas been burning the candle at both ends in order to get here and experiencethe college atmosphere. We can’t wait to have him here in this environmentbecause he has a terrific future ahead of him. It’s a great day for our program.”
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
--Antoine de Saint-Exupery
"Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
--Yeats
“True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”
--John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell
Notably, of those featured only one of them -- Sarbonis, going to Gonzaga -- is described as a guy who's ready to play right now. The others are projects to one extent or another. Dusan Ristic, the guy who committed to Arizona, gets pretty good billing, however.
The Wildcats are getting a skilled, young big man who is clever around the basket with an assortment of low-post moves, in addition to excellent passing skills. While Ristic runs the floor well, is agile and has excellent basketball acumen, he is not an explosive athlete. Any chance of using Arizona as a one-and-done stop before heading to the NBA is unrealistic, but he’ll thrive under Sean Miller.
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
--Antoine de Saint-Exupery
"Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
--Yeats
“True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”
--John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell
Interesting comments from Jakob's coach in Austria:
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/blogsut...piper.html.csp
His parents were volleyball players, his mom a member of the national team. He's also described as a cerebral player and a good kid outside the gym. I like this get.
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
--Antoine de Saint-Exupery
"Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
--Yeats
“True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”
--John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell
The final Rivals 150 came out this morning. Chapman shows up as the #59 prospect in the country. Full list:
http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketb...ings/rank-2993
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
--Antoine de Saint-Exupery
"Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
--Yeats
“True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”
--John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell
Pretty good article:
Utah basketball: Jakob Poeltl seeks opportunity to grow with Utes
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
--Antoine de Saint-Exupery
"Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
--Yeats
“True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”
--John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
--Antoine de Saint-Exupery
"Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
--Yeats
“True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”
--John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell
Pretty interesting interview with Krysko here:
http://espn.kall700sports.com/larry-...coach-4-25-14/
He talks about the Poeltl recruitment, his new contract, how he sees the new guys fitting in to his system, and the like.
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
--Antoine de Saint-Exupery
"Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
--Yeats
“True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”
--John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell
Top 50 for next year:
38. Utah Utes
Gone: Renan Lenz, Ahmad Fields, Princeton Onwas
Returning: Delon Wright, Jordan Loveridge, Brandon Taylor, Dallin Bachynski,Dakarai Tucker, Jeremy Olsen
Coming in: PF Brekkott Chapman (ESPN No. 49), F Kyle Kuzma, PG Isaiah Wright, SF Chris Reyes, C Jakob Poeltl
Key Riser: Brandon Taylor -- He gets lost in the shadow of both Wright and Loveridge, but he's a guy who can make shots and also make people around him better.
Analysis: Larry Krystkowiak and the Utes won 21 games last season and finished .500 in the Pac-12, and they return everyone of note and also add a terrific freshman with in-state product Chapman. Wright, Loveridge and Taylor all averaged in double figures and all will be upperclassmen.
Summer Buzz: The Utes already have a commitment from small forward Noah Togiai, but he may wind up going on a mission. Krystkowiak will likely have two scholarships for the class, and will go after in-state big man Makol Mawien and a wing.
“It only ends once. Anything that happens before that is just progress.”
Well, because he thought it was good sport. Because some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.