Raptors’ duo feels right at home playing in Utah
Both Wright and Poeltl played together with the University of Utah Runnin’ Utes
Not since Joe Pesci made two (Utes) part of movie folklore in My Cousin Vinny, has there been so much conversation concerning Utes.
The Utes garnering all the attention these days are a pair of Toronto Raptors in Delon Wright and Jakob Poeltl along with Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma, all products of Larry Krystkowiak’s University of Utah Runnin’ Utes and all just now getting their feet good and wet in the NBA.
In a breakout year for young NBA talent, Wright, Poeltl and Kuzma are getting plenty of attention.
But for a torn ACL suffered by O.J. Anunoby, all three could very well be playing for the Toronto Raptors today.
Kuzma, the latest Ute to make it to the NBA, had a very solid workout in Toronto prior to the draft and was right in the Raptors wheelhouse in terms of where the Raptors were picking in the draft.
Raptors’ team president Masai Ujiri said before the Raptors recent game in Los Angeles against the Lakers that if Anunoby had not been available when it was their turn to pick, Kuzma would have been the selection.
The game in Los Angeles last Friday actually saw four Utes reunited with Poeltl, Wright, Kuzma and current Raptors development coach Jarred DuBois, the eldest of Krystkowiak’s products and the one who initially put Utah on Wright’s radar, all sharing a little chat courtside before the game.
Wright’s primary focus coming out of junior college was to land a spot with the University of Washington Huskies. But when Nigel Williams-Goss decided
to opt for the Huskies, Wright remembered DuBois’ suggestion.
“The same day they offered Goss instead of me, I was like, I’m going to Utah,” Wright said.
The fact that Utah was coming off a five-win season didn’t dampen his enthusiasm for the program. If anything, it enhanced it.
“That was a positive,” Wright said. “If I went there and we started to win, I thought it would look positively on myself. It was a risk, but that was the kind of person I was. I wanted to go somewhere where I could help them win, not to an established program.”
In Wright’s freshman year at Utah under Krystkowiak’s tutelage, the team was showing improvement, but still lacked a dominant force.
“The coaches told me we had a big guy coming in who was going to be able to catch my passes and finish,” Wright said. “That was the biggest issue my first year. No one would finish my assists. That was the selling point on (Jakob Poeltl) and once he showed up for his visit, I was really impressed. He’s had the great hands ever since I met him.”
Initially, Poeltl said he had no idea that Krystkowiak played and coached in the NBA or that he ran an NBA-style pro set offence. But it only took one look at the 6-foot-10 coach on that first visit to figure it out.
“Having a big man as a head coach, it can’t be a bad thing for me in that situation,” Poeltl said.
Wright was well aware of the pro set Krystkowiak’s Runnin’ Utes ran and knew it would be beneficial for him in terms of being able to adapt quickly to the NBA game once his collegiate playing days were over.
Both players have been quick to adjust to the NBA style because of it and both are playing significant minutes this season. This is Wright’s third season with the Raptors and the second for Poeltl.
Coming back to Utah has been big for both players in the past. Their increased role with the Raptors this season as cogs in that second unit should only make things that much bigger this time around when the Raptors and Jazz tip it off Friday. TORO N TO Christine Sinclair will lead a squad featuring six teenagers when fifth-ranked Canada takes on the top-ranked Americans in a two-game soccer series.
The first game is Nov. 9 at Vancouver’s B.C. Place Stadium, with the rematch Nov. 12 in San Jose.
The 19-woman roster includes 11 veterans from the bronze-winning 2016 Rio Olympics team.
The other teenagers on the roster are Jessie Fleming, Jordyn Huitema and Deanne Rose.
Sinclair and veteran midfielder Desiree Scott, account for more than half of the 731 caps spread among the squad.
ROSTER