Ever since Jakob Poeltl’s big showing in the NCAA tournament, I have been leading the charge that he should head to the NBA.
My big reason: Take the money.
The Austrian center was going to be a first-round pick, and he may have even been taken in the lottery. By going to the association now, he would have guaranteed himself a very nice living before he even turned 20 years old.
However, his announcement Monday that he is staying at Utah for another season made me realize something — I was wrong. Poeltl made the correct choice, and his decision will not only help the Runnin’ Utes next season, but also Poeltl for the rest of his career. Let me explain.
While I was shouting (mostly on K-UTE, the U’s internet radio station) that Poeltl should go pro, I was thinking solely about the short term. I was afraid that if Poeltl returned he would be over-scouted (he will), that he wouldn’t perform up to the now-raised expectations (he probably won’t) and that suddenly all the “potential” scouts saw in him this season would turn into “disappointment” next year.
Everyone with eyes knows he isn’t ready for the NBA. But I thought it was the best time to capitalize on his God-given height and athleticism. Who cares if he flames out in the league? At least he got paid.
There have been multiple cases in which players who were projected to be high picks after their freshman seasons returned to school only to see their stock plummet. I was afraid the same thing would happen with Poeltl, and so I thought it was best for him to capitalize on his opportunity, and leave now.
But, Poeltl chose a different path — he is betting on himself.
In Monday’s announcement, Poeltl talked about developing and elevating his game before facing the challenges of the NBA. He wants to gain more experience, and he wants to improve.
Poeltl would have been drafted as a project big-man, someone a franchise would be patient with. This also means he probably would have been sitting at the end of a bench, and it’s hard to get better when you don’t play.
With this decision, Poeltl is essentially saying he wants to have a long career. He wants to be a productive NBA player for years to come, not just someone who warms the bench for four years while counting his millions.
“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,” said head coach Larry Krystkowiak. “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.’ ”
If Poeltl wants to be a player who can turn the tide for an NBA franchise, he has to get better, and the best place to do that — at least right now — is at Utah.
Krystkowiak designs his offense around his best players. He is going to make sure Poeltl gets the rock and gets it often. The Utes have the shooters (Brandon Taylor, Dakarai Tucker, Jordan Loveridge, Brekkott Chapman) that can space the floor and give the big man plenty of room to go to work down low.
Poeltl wasn’t the first option this past season, but he certainly will be in his sophomore campaign. That’s the experience he needs and the skills scouts want to see him continue to develop, so when he gets to the NBA he’ll stand a fighting chance.
Yes, he’s taking a risk, but he has his eyes on the future, not the present. Good call, Jakob. Good call.
@millerjryan