Utah a veritable basketball pipeline for Raptors
SALT LAKE CITY, UT — Not since Joe Pesci made two (Utes) part of movie folklore in My Cousin
Vinny, has there been so much conversation concerning Utes.
The Ut es garnering all the attention these days area pair of Toronto Rap tor sin Del on Wright and Jakob Poeltl along with 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, Po el tl, Kuzm an and Wright 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 Association had a very solid workout in Toronto prior to the draft and was right in the Raptors wheelhouse in terms of where he was going to be selected and when the Raptors were picking.
Raptors’ team president Masai Ujiri confirmed before the Rap to rs recent game in Los Angeles with the Lakers that had Anunoby not still been around on draft night when the Toronto pick arrived, Kuzma would have been their selection.
Wright recalls members of the organization were asking him about his good friend Kuzma for about a month prior to the draft confirming the interest was very real.
That game in Los Angeles last Friday actually saw four Utes reunited with Poe ltl,W right, Kuz ma and current Rap to rs 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 got offered by the Huskies, Wright remembered DuBois’ suggestion.
“That 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 dam pen his enthusiasm for the program, In fact it enhanced it.
“That was a positive,” Wright said .“If I came there and we started to win I felt like 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.”
Wright won 21 games in his freshman year at Utah under Krystkowiak’s tutelage, but there was still something missing, someone in fact who he would go onto play with in the NBA as well as at Utah.
Towards the end of his first year Wright had coaches telling him not to worry, they had good line on a big coming in for the following year who would solve a lot of Utah’s problems from Wright’s first year.
“The coaches told me we have a big coming in who is going to able to catch my passes and finish,” Wright said. “That was my issue my first year. No one would finish my assists. That was the selling point on (Poeltl) and once he showed up for his visit I was really impressed. He’s had great hands since I met him.”
Poeltl’s recruitment began with Utah assistant Andy Hill spotting him at the European Under18 Championships. The Vienna native had a few NCAA suitors at that point but really had little experience or knowledge about NCAA recruiting.
Two visits to Vienna by Krystkowiak, one to meet Poeltl and introduce himself, the second visit with K ry stkowi aka nd his wife who came over to meet Po el tl’ s parents finished the job.
“I had a good time on my visit,” Poeltl said. “They really showed me what their university was all about and I just had a good feeling about them.”
Initially Poeltl had no idea that Krystkowiak played and coached in the NBA or that her an an NBAstyle pro set offence. But it only took one look at the 6-foot-10 coach on that first visit to figure on thing out.
“Having a big man head coach, it can’t be a bad thing for me in that situation,” Poeltl said.
Wright was well aware of the pro set K ry stk ow ia k’ s Run nin’ Ut es ran and knew it would be beneficial in terms of a quick adaptation to the NBA so that was a factor for him.
Both players have been quick to adjust to the NBA style because of it and both are playing significant minutes this season, Wright’ s third with the team and Poeltl’s second.
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.