Right now, it’s just the next step I wanted to make in my basketball career. I’ve had the most amazing two years here in Utah. – Jakob Poeltl
SALT LAKE CITY — A framed jersey, normally handed out on Senior Night, was part of the backdrop for a press conference Wednesday at the University of Utah. It’s a way of saying goodbye and thank you to players leaving the program.
This one was no different, expect for the fact that the No. 42 jersey behind the glass belongs to a sophomore.
After two seasons with the Utes, center Jakob Poeltl announced that he’s entering the NBA draft.
“I think we all know why we’re here. I’ve thought about this day and this decision for a long time, thought about it like really hard. I’ve talked to a lot of people about it,” said Poeltl, who noted that coaches, family and friends were involved with the decision for him to play in the NBA next season.
“Right now, it’s just the next step I wanted to make in my basketball career,” Poeltl said. “I’ve had the most amazing two years here in Utah. I don’t regret anything about coming here, about staying the second year, I think it was an unbelievable journey. I’ve really enjoyed it.”
Poeltl, however, acknowledged it was a tough decision.
“I really wanted to stay for two more years, but like I said before, I think it’s a necessary step for me in my basketball career and that’s why I wanted to go and sign up for the draft,” he said.
The 7-footer from Austria went on to thank everyone involved for making him a better basketball player as well as a better individual and man. He expressed appreciation to his family, teammates and U. fans for their support along the way.
Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak countered by saying that the Utes were thankful for Poeltl.
“It’s a super proud day, I think, for Utah basketball,” said Krystkowiak, who noted that Poeltl was a big catalyst for the Utes going 53-18 the past two seasons. “I think he’s an example of what college basketball is all about.”
Krystkowiak explained that Poeltl had an opportunity to turn professional abroad instead of coming to the United States and playing college basketball. Then, after a successful first season at Utah and first-round NBA draft projections, Poeltl opted to return for a second. He did so with a determination to improve several things — such as free-throw shooting (improving from 44 to 69 percent), avoiding foul trouble and putting on 25-30 pounds of weight.
Several accolades followed. Poeltl earned All-American recognition as well as Pac-12 Player of the Year honors. He was also named Pete Newell Big Man of the Year and given the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award as the nation’s top center.
“So I don’t know how much meat is left on the bone for Jakob in this college process,” said Krystkowiak, who mentioned that Poeltl is projected to be a top 10 pick in the draft.
“It’s the right decision. I think we feel extremely proud of his accomplishments and what he’s done to help our program and we’ve got to keep moving forward without him,” Krystkowiak continued. “But all the accolades, the Pac-12 Player of the Year and four-time player of the week, again I just don’t know how much is left for him. It’s a bittersweet day.” Krystkowiak recalled a couple of trips he made to Austria to recruit Poeltl and added that he’ll always be part of the cornerstone of what Utah basketball is building.
“We’re just extremely proud,” Krystkowiak said.
Several of Poeltl’s Utah teammates were on hand for the announcement. Poeltl led the Utes to 27 wins and a second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance last season. He averaged 17.2 points and 9.1 rebounds per game and shot 64.6 percent from the field — additional highlights include 70 assists, 56 blocked shots and 16 double-doubles.
“I’m just really proud of him and happy. He works hard and he made major steps of growth from his freshman year to sophomore year,” said Utah forward Kyle Kuzma. “I think the NBA is getting a great player. As long as he keeps working hard and develops his craft, I think the sky’s the limit for him.”
The NBA draft is scheduled for June 23 in Brooklyn. Since Keith Van Horn in 1997, Utah has had four other first-round draft picks — Michael Doleac (1998), Andre Miller (1999), Andrew Bogut (2005) and Delon Wright (2015).
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