BYU's Shawn Bradley will play in the NBA. Utah's Josh Grant and Byron Wilson, both second-round draft picks, may make it in the world's top basketball league.
But BYU's Gary Trost, Utah's Jimmy Soto and Weber State's Stan Rose? While all three were stars at their respective schools and first-team all-conference selections, it's safe to say they're longshots, at best, for the NBA. They are, however, pursuing their dreams of NBA stardom by participating in the Jazz rookie/free agent camp at Westminster College.Trost, an LDS returned missionary, is realistic, if not pessimistic, about the possibility of sticking with the Jazz. "I have a better chance of baptizing Coach Majerus than of making this team," he quipped.
Jazz coach Jerry Sloan insists the Utah collegians were invited to camp on the basis of their talents, not as favors to local coaches or for public relation purposes. "We don't invite anybody to camp who can't play basketball," Sloan said. "People thought we were doing (former BYU player) Andy Toolson a favor a couple of years ago by inviting him to camp, and he ended up making the team. These guys are quality basketball players."
Trost, a 6-foot-10, 235-pound center who prepped at Salt Lake City's Granite High, is grateful for the opportunity the Jazz have given him. He knows, however, that the team is center-laden with the additions of top draft pick Luther Wright and newly acquired Felton Spencer along with current Jazzmen Mark Eaton and Ike Austin.
"It's been a privilege just to be here and a great learning experience for me. I have to thank the Jazz even if I realistically don't have a shot (of making the team)," said Trost, a two-time all-WAC center.
Trost said he feels his best chance at making an NBA team would be as a power forward rather than a center, but to be able to play that position he would have to work on his quickness.
If (when?) the Jazz cut him, Trost plans to pursue a professional basketball career in Europe. Eventually, after his playing days are over, Trost says he would like to become a high school teacher and basketball coach "hopefully in the Salt Lake area."
Soto and Rose have already played basketball professionally in recent months and are more optimistic than Trost about their chances with the Jazz.
Shortly after the Utes finished their season, Soto spent six weeks playing in a pro league in Puerto Rico before returning to Salt Lake after sustaining a hamstring injury.
"The Puerto Rican league was really physical and a good experience to prepare me for the beating I'm taking here," said the 5-foot-9 Soto.
Soto sprained his ankle two weeks ago in a pickup game at the U., but says he still feels he can play at this level against fellow point guards like the Jazz's John Crotty and Justus Thigpen, an All-Big Eight selection from Iowa State. "If you don't have confidence and don't feel like you can compete with these guys, then you might as well not be here," said Soto, the former Judge Memorial star. "I'm holding my own."
"If I don't make the Jazz I'll try to hook up with a team somewhere else, maybe in the CBA or in Europe," Soto said.
Rose spent the past couple months playing in the United States Basketball League after leading the Big Sky Conference in scoring last season with a 23.2 average. Rose, who's 6-foot-7 and close to 250 pounds, feels rebounding, not scoring, will get him into the NBA.
"Everybody here can score, I'm trying to rebound hard and to do the little things that help teams to win," Rose said. "I'm just going to work hard and whatever happens, happens."
Another ex-Utah collegian, Weber State's Al Hamilton, was invited to Jazz camp but hasn't played yet due to the flu. Hamilton is expected to join the other 20 players in camp as soon as he gets clearance from his doctor.