Utah’s best basketball recruiting classes

[ProudUte]

Sounds like we got a great group of kids to commit to play at Utah.  Is this the best recruiting class ever?  I guess that remains to be seen.  Here are a few recruiting classes that will be hard to beat.

1972 – Burden, Sojourner, and Menatti.  Burden and Sojourner were both considered top ten picks.  They both ended up leaving early to play in the pros.  Had they stayed and played with Judkins, Matheney and Jonas, I think we would have been a final four team in 1976.

1977 – Vranes, Chambers, Bankowski, and Martin.  This was a great recruiting class.  Vranes and Chamber were both top ten picks in the NBA draft.  Vranes was a four-year starter.  The others started for three years.

1994 – Miller, Doleac, Hansen, Jensen, and Jessie.  Four of these guys played on the 1998 final four team.  Jessie was a JC recruit.  This is probably the best recruiting class IMO.

 

[homer]

The 70’s was an amazing decade for Utah basketball. Jerry Pimm was a great coach, I would consider him, Majerus, Catcus Jack to be top three. Current Utes basketball is a shadow of what it once was.

These 19, 20 year signed classes will have to be pretty incredible to compete with the above mentioned year classes.

[uteof]

Cactus Jack was Jack Curtis, the football coach. Jack Gardner was as good as any basketball coach as we have ever had. I’ve watched Utah basketball since Arnie Ferrin played.  Ok, there were periods when I was gone, but still kept up as well as I could. I’d pick Jack over Jerry Pimm any day, and I like Pimm. 

[homer]

Yes, thank you, Jack Gardner. Brain farted that one.

First game I remember seeing was Jerry Chambers play at my Uncles on TV so you have a better perspective.
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I wouldn’t put Pimm over either of the other two. I still consider him top three all time so far.

It’s disappointing to see the lack of attendance, passion in the fan base now, but that’s another topic.

[astUTE]

The reality of the star ratings and other recruiting ratings, is that they are a sign of what potential the outside world sees in a group of recruits.  The reality, also is, that we will really know their value much closer to their graduation.

It would be an interesting study, to go back a generation, look at the recruiting rankings, evaluate the final value of each player and see if there is any correlation.  I suspect, that there is less than most people think.

Miller, as I recall, was expected to be a good player, but not at all highly recruited.  And in retrospect, he ranks as one the best Utes ever.

Majerus did, in the same way Kyle is doing now, turn 2 and 3 star recruits, into STARS!

IMHO, the jury is still out on Krystkowiak.  A few years ago, following the Ute win at MSG over Duke, I thought we had another BIG Rick!  But what has happened since, has been a letdown.  I thought then, and hope now that he has the potential to find talent, that no one else sees, and turn it into the talent that everyone later recognizes.

 

I’m giving him 3 more years.  2 with this class, to see what he can to, and see who he can retain, and one more with the next class.  And given the last few years, frankly, I’m being very generous.

 

[EagleMountainUte]

This may be immensely obvious but in basketball one or two impact players is sometimes all you need. 

[UtesRule]

Actually, Andre Miller WAS highly recruited until it became apparent that he would not qualify academically. We got him because he was Prop 42.

Alex Jensen was also highly recruited but grew up a Ute.

Mike Doleac was the guy Utah got in the early signing period as a big time steal who NO ONE recruited until his Senior year when he lead his high school team in Portland Oregon to the State Title.

[ProudUte]

Drew Hansen was not highly recruited, but ended up being a four-year starter.  He was never a superstar.  However, I highly doubt we would have made the final four without him.  He was a great defensive player.  Because of him, Majerus allowed Miller to penetrate.  Hansen was always back defending against a fast break.

 

[PhiladelphiaUte]

Keith Van Horn, Britton Johnsen, and Chris Burgess* very highly recruited Ute athletes.

 

* Utah whiffed on Burgess the first go around, but eventually got him via transfer from Duke.