Future basketball roster

[DataUte]

I think there are 7 seniors on the team, but only Bajema and Carlson (Brandon) are out of eligibility (have played 5 years with the free covid years). Is that correct? Ben Carlson, Erickson (which I guess is poo poo?), Madsen, Smith, and Worster can return for 1 more year?

[Fred]

I believe that is correct, so if everyone came back, the big need would be a PF, and a wing that could shoot. Brandon would be nearly impossible to replace, but an upgrade over Bajema is doable.

[chinngiskhaan]

Hopefully Jake Wahlin pans out. He was a fairly highly rated prospect. If he can improve over the offseason like our other bigs under this staff have, he will be a good player for us. I have no idea what his play style is. He could either be a replacement for BC, or a replacement for Bajema depending on whether or not he projects as a wing or a PF.

[Utesbyfive]

Ginna have to pay Keita to stay.

[Redblood]

Foreign players cannot be paid NIL

[The Miami Ute]

You’re right. Here’s a website that explains it all in depth:
Can International Student-Athletes Benefit from NIL Agreements?

In essence, they’re here on a student visa and that explicitly forbids any sort of employment while in the USA. His only real option to get paid is to go pro or attempt to get NIL funding on the international stage.

[chinngiskhaan]

nice! I say we invest heavily in foreign recruiting! j/k

[Utesbyfive]

Wow. I can’t disagree more strongly. If domestic players can be paid, ALL players should be paid.

So Keita was a local HS product right? JMHS? JDHS?

[The Miami Ute]

That would necessitate a massive change to the immigration system which would affect hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people, who have zero ties to the USA other than they go to school here. You couldn’t do a change like that just for athletes, it would essentially affect all foreign students, so it’s never going to happen. According to his bio, Keita went to both Wasatch Academy and American Heritage High School. Now, if Keita has legal residency in the USA, then he would be treated just like any US born player. He doesn’t have to be a citizen for that to happen.

[Charlie]

I think Smith is at the point we can expect new players each year to be in the rotation or start. Johnson could be a rotation player. Chandler is a huge wild card. Hopefully, coming off his mission and with NIL in play he could return to Utah. I think how Utah and BYU does this year can have a big effect and Utah just may have the better year. Big 12 coaching and scouting may start to figure into a fade for the Y. I think there is likely one more piece to next year beyond this.

I wonder what the criteria is for Keita to simply gain citizenship? It should not be for lack of a job since that is kinda what NIL is.

[The Miami Ute]

Keita needs to be a legal resident of the USA for at least five years before he can apply for US citizenship. Keep in mind that, in order to receive NIL and be treated like any US born player, all he has to have is legal residency (known colloquially as a “green card”), not citizenship.