New college basketball coaches often talk about building a program up from the ground floor, but few have had to do it quite like Larry Krystkowiak. When Krystkowiak was hired by Utah in 2011, eight players promptly transferred out. It didn’t make matters any easier that Krystkowiak’s first year coincided with Utah’s first season in the Pac-12, where the competition would be noticeably tougher than in the Mountain West. The results were about as ugly as you’d expect, with Utah tumbling to a six-win season.
Utah basketball preview: Delon Wright and Utes are ready to break into March
With a star guard and a solid support cast, No. 21 Utah could bust into the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009.
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Ricky O'Donnell has covered basketball at all levels for more than a decade at SB Nation. He’s currently the Associate Director of Programming.
Three years later, everything is different. Krystkowiak flipped the script by landing a game-changing transfer of his own, and surrounded him with a strong supporting cast that has size, shooting and defense. After narrowly missing the NCAA Tournament last season despite a 21-12 record, the Utes are poised to break into the Big Dance for the first time in six years
It's all about Delon Wright (brother of NBA veteran Dorrel Wright), entering his senior season after debuting as a junior college transfer a year ago. Wright is a 6'5 combo guard with elite defensive abilities, an unstoppable motor in transition and a knack for finding a way to score whenever he's in close. It's enough to get one analytical model to forecast him as the best player in college basketball this season.
Wright played nearly 92 percent of the available minutes for the Utes last year, posting one of the best steal rates in the country while shooting a remarkable 63.3 percent on two-pointers. The only thing that’s holding him back from being an NBA lottery pick might be a reliable outside jump shot.
With their top six leading scorers from last season returning, Utah should be primed for a big season. Rebuilding the Utes didn’t happen overnight, but this season could be worth the wait for Krystkowiak.
Projected starting lineup
PG: Brandon Taylor, junior
SG: Delon Wright, senior
SF: Dakarai Tucker, junior
PF: Jordan Loveridge, junior
C: Dallin Bachynski, senior
Key bench players: C Jeremy Olsen (junior), F Brekkott Chapman (freshman), G Kenneth Ogbe (sophomore), F Kyle Kuzma (RS freshman)
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How the Utes can go far this season: Shoot well around Wright and develop young depth
Wright is the type of player that demands the attention of an entire defense. He’s so good at getting into the lane and finishing once he’s there that it makes the shooting around him all the more important. There should be plenty of opportunities for kick-out three-pointers for Taylor and Tucker. If they make them, Utah’s offense (No. 95 in adjusted efficiency last season, per KenPom) could catch up to its defense (No. 36 in KenPom’s rankings).
Taylor jacked about five three-pointers per game last season, and connected on a shade under 40 percent of them. It’s the biggest strength for the 5’10 guard, and it makes him a natural complement to Wright. Tucker started to come on late last season and developed as a viable threat from deep. He made over 39 percent of his threes.
Utah already has a solid foundation in place in the front court with upperclassmen Loveridge and Bachynski. Bachynski is the brother of former Arizona State center Jordan Bachynski, and at 7-feet, 260 pounds, he'll be the biggest player on the floor in nearly every game he plays. Loveridge is the more polished scorer, averaging 14.7 points and seven rebounds per game last season on 42 percent shooting. The front court could be extra good if a pair of talented freshmen live up to the hype.
Brekkott Chapman had offers from Arizona, UCLA, Gonzaga and more, but chose to stay in-state with the Utes. It’s a huge commitment for Krystkowiak and gives him a big body (6’8, 215 pounds) to build around once Wright leaves. Chapman, rated No. 49 in the class of 2014 by ESPN, isn’t the only touted freshman joining the Utes this season, though.
Kyle Kuzma was once a promising prospect in his own right before taking a redshirt at Utah last season. The Michigan native chose the Utes over UConn, Missouri and Oklahoma State, and profiles as a big body (6’9) with ball handling and passing skills. If Chapman and Kuzma and help Utah out on the offensive glass this season, after placing No. 278 last year, per KenPom, it’ll be a big boost for a team that already looks talented on paper.
How the Utes could get sent home early: Turnovers and slow tempo
For as good as Wright was at getting steals (No. 30 in the country in steal percentage) and finishing in transition, Utah sure played awfully slow. The Utes ranked No. 231 in tempo last season, placing them 10th in the Pac-12. The sheer mass of Bachynski and reserve Jeremy Olsen slow down the Utes somewhat, but everyone else can run the floor. Utah would make life easier on itself if it figures out a way to get some easy buckets.
Limiting turnovers is another key. Taylor in particular will need to cut down a turnover rate that placed him second on the team as a sophomore last season. Wright also has a propensity to try to force the issue, averaging 2.5 turnovers per game last season. If Utah expects to reach the NCAA Tournament and win a couple games, it will have to do a better job of protecting the ball.
With so much turnover at UCLA and Oregon, there’s an opportunity for Utah to take second in the conference behind Arizona. Even Krystkowiak himself likely didn’t envision a rise up the Pac-12 this quickly, but the presence of a legitimate star and solid gains in recruiting to support him was all Utah needed.
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