Potential first-round pick Jakob Poeltl's return is a coup for Utah
Had Utah center Jakob Poeltl entered this year's the NBA draft, the smooth, fluid 7-footer probably would have been selected in the first round.
Instead Poeltl will return to the Utes for his sophomore season, gambling that an offseason spent adding muscle and diversifying his offensive repertoire can improve his stock next spring.
"I really enjoy it here at the University of Utah," Poeltl said in a statement released Monday morning. "I love my teammates, coaches and college in general. I think another year will help my development and I'm looking forward to next season."
Poeltl's patience gives Utah a good chance to remain nationally relevant next season. Do-it-all star Delon Wright and productive 7-footer Dallin Bachynski both are gone from this past season's 26-win Sweet 16 team, but Poeltl is the centerpiece of a returning core strong enough to keep the Utes in the Pac-12's upper echelon next year.
Rising senior guards Brandon Taylor and Jordan Loveridge will be responsible for taking over Wright's role as Utah's perimeter catalysts. Promising rising sophomores Brekkott Chapman, Chris Reyes and Isaiah Wright will be expected to shoulder greater responsibility next season. And Poeltl will have to develop into a more consistent low-post scoring threat and anchor what should be an excellent defense.
Poeltl started all but one game for Utah during its breakthrough season under Larry Krystkowiak and quickly emerged as a pleasant surprise. The Austria native shot 68 percent from the field, ranked third in the Pac-12 in blocks per game and averaged 9.1 points and 6.8 rebounds.
He was at his best in the postseason, scoring in double figures in five of Utah's last six games and helping hold Duke's Jahlil Okafor to just six points in the Sweet 16.
"Jakob had a solid freshman season for us and made great strides but there is no doubt in my mind that his best basketball is ahead of him," Krystkowiak said in a statement. "He is driven, intelligent and an elite athlete. I'm excited he has faith in our program to turn the words `potential' and `project' into `proven' and possibly "prize."
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Jeff Eisenberg is the editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at daggerblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
