Advertisement
basketball Edit

Utah Basketball Transfers: A Comprehensive List

Larry Krystkowiak
Larry Krystkowiak

It's a debate that has raged on for what seems like years, now. Should the University of Utah's Head Coach, Larry Krystkowiak, be held accountable for the high amount of transfers from the Utah basketball program? Our goal in this is to give everyone a comprehensive list to help them make their own unbiased and informed decision. Everyone knows that the elephant in the room is the transfers. It's also perceived that attendance is suffering. The truth about the attendance, however, is that NCAA basketball attendance is down nearly everywhere.

The main positive to be taken out of the Krystkowiak era is that his guys graduate. The last three season, his guys have had a 100% graduation rate and in the last five, it hasn't dipped below 90%. In fact, former coach, Rick Majerus, prided himself so much on the graduation rate, but his last year it was only 57%. Krystkowiak has never dipped below 73%, which was in his first year.

How about the attendance? Fans still remember the days where they'd come 30 minutes before tip-off and the arena was already nearly full. Most games nowadays, the team is lucky to see the Jon M. Hunstman Center half full. That being said, to draw another comparison from Majerus--since he is the gold standard of Utah basketball--his last season the average attendance was at 10,901. Just this past season, the Utes' average attendance was 10,561. With the Utes now in the Pac-12 and all games being televised, those numbers don't tell the true story. There were a lot more fans in their actual seats during Majerus' last year, as opposed to just tickets sold.

So now back to the elephant in the room, talk to longtime season ticket holders and plenty will tell you that they've gone the way of picking mini-packages for tickets. Why? Because the amount of turnover in the program has been frustrating and makes some less invested in the team.

Several factors have gone into the number of transfers: last minute scholarships, guys that are just bad seeds, playing time issues, and players thinking they can do better elsewhere. You'll see below that a lot of the transfers didn't do anything after they left Utah, so are the transfers justified or were they misses in the recruiting process?

Check out the list below and you be the judge. I had both Dustin Birch and Andrew Fronce help me with the research for this and I've also included commentary and explanations to each year. Transfers, in general, are high everywhere in college basketball, so should Krystkowiak get a free pass or is the constant turnover justified?


2010-2011 (Included because he had the opportunity to, but didn't keep the two stars)


Chris Kupets: Vanguard

Utah stats: 19 min, 38.8% fg, 34% 3-pt, 1.6 rb, 1.7 to

Vanguard stats: Played only 2 games, 26% shooting


Preston Guiot: Southwest Baptist

Utah stats: None

SW Baptist: 7 games, 36 min per game, 14 ppg, 32% shooting, 9 ast, 4 to


Antonio DiMaria: Emporia State

Utah stats: 6 min, 1 ppg, 32% fg, 27% 3-pt

Emporia State stats: 27 min, 8 ppg, 38% fg, 39% 3-pt, 4 reb, 2 ast


Dominique Lee: Casper (then to Northern Colorado)

Utah stats: None

Northern Colorado: 7 ppg and 4 rpg


Josh Watkins: Dismissed from team

Utah stats: 30 min, 15 ppg, 41% fg, 23% 3-pt, 5 rb, 8 ast, 7 to


JJ O'Brien: San Diego State

Utah stats: 27 min, 6 ppg, 41% fg, 11% 3-pt, 6 rb, 1.8 to

San Diego State stats: 29 min, 9 ppg, 48% fg, 29% 3-pt, 5 rb, 1.4 to


Will Clyburn: Iowa State

Utah stats: 35 min, 17 ppg, 45% fg, 40% 3-pt, 8 rb, 2.5 to

Iowa State stats: 32 min, 14, ppg 44% fg, 31% 3-pt, 3 rb, 0.8 TO


Shawn Glover: Oral Roberts

Utah stats: 19 min, 5 ppg, 37% fg, 29% 3-pt, 3 rb, 1 to

Oral Roberts: 34 min, 18 ppg, 50% fg, 38% 3-pt, 5 rb, 2.2 to


Neal Monson: SLCC then UC Davis

Utah stats: None

UC Davis: 21 min, 7 ppg, 53% fg, 6 rb, 1.2 to


Advertisement

The 2011-2012 mass exodus was brought on in large part to the staff or more specifically, DeMarlo Slocum, being asked to do some emergency last minute recruiting. Meaning their first recruiting class was understandably bad--no judgement here. Could the transfers from this year have been prevented? Yes. Would they have brought much to the table? Yes and no. Chris Hines was a solid role player and Dijon Farr was successful doing a lot of the dirty work.


2011-2012

Record: 6-25 (11th place Pac-12)


Chris Hines: Drake

Utah stats: 19 min, 6 ppg, 35% fg, 36% 3-pt, 1.5 rb, 0.5 ast, 1.1 to

Drake stats: 27 min, 10 ppg, 40% fg, 40% 3-pt, 2.1 rb, 1.1 ast, 1.5 to


Anthony Ondunsi: Houston Baptist

Utah stats: 15 min, 3 ppg, 36% fg, 1.3 rb, 0.6 ast, 1.2 to

Houston Baptist stats: 28 min, 15 ppg, 48% fg, 3.9 rb, 3.2 ast, 3.3 to


Kareem Storey: Morehead State

Utah stats: 24 min, 5 ppg, 35% fg, 21% 3-pt, 1.9 rb, 3.1 ast, 2.6 to

Morehead State stats: 30 min, 7 ppg, 38% fg, 32% 3-pt, 2.5 rb, 4.8 ast, 3.0 to


Dijon Farr: Arkansas Fort Smith

Utah stats: 26 min, 7 ppg, 47% fg, 38% 3-pt, 4.8 rb, 1.4 to

Arkansas Fort Smith: 24 min, 11 ppg, 44% fg, 34% 3-pt, 4.9 rb, 1.6 to


Javon Dawson: Jacksonville

Utah stats: 15 min, 3 ppg, 48% fg, 2.3 rb, 0.3 ast

Jacksonville stats: 25 min, 8 ppg, 44% fg, 5.7 rb, 1.1 ast


The transfers in 2012-2013 were more minimal, with no big-impact players. The transfer trend was calming down... or so it seemed.

2012-2013

Record: 15-18 (10th place Pac-12)


Glen Dean: Idaho

Utah stats: 25 min, 6 ppg, 34% fg, 34% 3-pt, 2.1 rb, 2.1 ast, 1.5 to

Idaho stats: 25 min, 9 ppg, 36% fg, 37% 3-pt, 2.1 rb, 2.4 ast, 1.4 to


Aaron Dotson: Came to Utah after LSU, intended another transfer and never played

Utah stats: 17.3 min, 2.7 ppl, 38.5% fg, 30.0%, 3-pt 57.1, 1.8 rb, 0.2 ast, 1.8 to


Justin Seymour: Murray State then Georgia State:

Utah stats: 11 min, 3 ppg, 36% fg, 20% 3-pt, 2 rb, 0.8 ast, 1.0 TO

Murray State: 22 min, 7 ppg, 41% fg, 40% 3-pt, 2.6 rb, 1.4 ast, 1.2 to

Georgia State: 18 min, 7 ppg, 40% fg, 34% 3-pt, 1.4 rb, 1.1 ast, 1.3 to

By 2013-2014, okay, well, maybe three is a new norm and the guys transferring out haven't really been big losses.

2013-2014

Record: 21-12 (8th place Pac-12, NIT First Round)


Marko Kovacevic: College of Idaho

Utah stats: 5 min, 2 ppg, 60% fg, 0.7 rb

College of Idaho stats: 25 min, 11 ppg, 56% fg, 6.9 rb


Princeton Onwas: San Jose State

Utah stats: 18 min, 5 ppg, 51% fg, 2.6 rb, 2.4 ast, 1.0 to

San Jose State stats: 26 min, 10 ppg, 45% fg, 3.1 rb, 2.4 ast, 2.6 to


Ahmad Fields: Drexel

Utah stats: (only played 3 games due to injury) 8 min, 3 ppg 48% fg, 2.1 rb

Drexel stats: 16 min, 6 ppg, 29% fg, 5.3 rb

By 2014-2015--Record: 26-9, 2nd place tie Pac-12, Sweet Sixteen--it seemed there was a breakthrough, as the team advanced to the Sweet Sixteen and they saw a whopping zero transfers from this time frame. That's a big deal with the massive amount of turnover, since Krystkowiak took over the program. Now, it's going to continue to trend in the right direction... right?

Well, no...

That was wishful thinking, as a year of no transfers was followed by a group that was painful to lose.

2015-2016

Record: 27-9 (2nd place Pac-12, NCAA Second Round)


Brekkott Chapman: Weber State

Utah stats: 14 min, 5 ppg, 46% fg, 36% 3-pt, 2.5 rb, 0.7 ast, 0.9 to

Weber State stats: 29 min, 12 ppg, 47% fg, 43% 3-pt, 7.3 rb, 1.7 ast, 2.1 to


Isaiah Wright: San Diego

Utah stats: 13 min, 2 ppg, 38% fg, 37% 3-pt, 0.9 rb, 1.6 ast, 0.8 to

San Diego stats: 36 min, 14 ppg, 45% fg, 36% 3-pt, 4.5 rb, 5.0 ast, 3.0 to


Chris Reyes: Pepperdine

Utah stats: 12 min, 3 ppg, 48% fg, 3.0 rb, 0.3 ast, 0.4 blk, 0.6 to

Pepperdine stats: 33 min, 13 ppg, 54% fg, 7.9 rb, 2.4 ast, 1.4 blk, 1.6 to


Kenneth Ogbe: UVU (a medical retirement, only to go on to UVU)

Utah stats: 11 min, 4 ppg, 43% fg, 42% 3-pt, 1.2 rb, 0.5 to

UVU stats: 27 min, 12 ppg, 46% fg, 42% 3-pt, 2.8 rb, 1.7 to


Makol Mawien: Kansas State

Utah stats: None

Kansas State stats: 21min, 7 ppg, 53% fg, 4.5 rb, 0.9 blk, 1.6 to

A rough transfer year was followed up by one with only two transfers, although both were tough to lose, especially Devon Daniels. However, keep in mind that Daniels was a loose cannon, punching Jayce Johnson in practice and screaming at Krystkowiak. He's a talent, but he also wasn't worth the headache.

2016-2017

Record: 20-12 (4th place Pac-12, NIT First Round)


Jojo Zamora: New Mexico State

Utah stats: 20 min, 7 ppg, 46% fg, 36% 3pt, 1.4 rb, 1.1 ast, 1.2 to

New Mexico State stats: 16 min, 8 ppg, 42% fg, 38% 3-pt, 1.6 rb, 0.9 ast, 0.9 to


Devon Daniels: North Carolina State

Utah stats: 27 min, 10 ppg, 57% fg, 40% 3-pt, 4.6 rb, 2.7 ast, 2.0 to

North Carolina State stats: 27 min, 11 ppg, 44% fg, 32% 3-pt, 4.8 rb, 1.9 ast, 1.9 to

In this group, both Chris Seeley and Christian Popoola looked to be nice gets for Krystkowiak's staff, but neither lived up to their potential at Utah. Vante Hendrix would have been the best of the bunch, but you can't launch an F-bomb directed at your coach, when you're already in the doghouse. They knew Hendrix was a risky take, but hoped structure would help him flourish, and that definitely didn't happen.

2017-2018

Record: 23-12 (3rd place Pac-12, NIT Runner-up)


Kolbe Caldwell: Southern Indiana

Utah stats: 11 min, 2 ppg, 34% FG, 28% 3pt, 0.9 rb, 0.9 TO

Southern Indiana stats: 27 min, 12 ppg, 42% fg, 37% 3-pt, 4.3 rb, 1.4 TO


Chris Seeley: Fresno State

Utah stats: 8 min, 3 ppg, 44% fg, 2.5 rb

Fresno State stats: 8 min, 2 ppg, 33% fg, 1.6 rb


Jakub Jokl: Czech pro ball

Utah stats: 4 min, 1 ppg, 58% fg, 1.0 rb


Christian Popoola: Salt Lake Community College

Utah stats: 6 min, 1 ppg, 24% fg

Salt Lake Community College stats: 27 min, 9 ppg, 55% fg, 32% 3-pt, 3.1 rb, 3.2 ast, 1.4 st, 2.0 to


Vante Hendrix: UNM and looking to transfer again

Utah stats: 18 min, 8 ppg, 45% fg, 35% 3pt, 3.0 rb, 1.5 ast, 1.0 TO

New Mexico stats: 23 min, 9 ppg, 47% FG, 31% 3-pt, 3.7 rb, 1.2 ast, 1.1 stl, 1.2 to

After a year of meaningless transfers, this group hurt. First off, Charles Jones never lived up to his potential as the NJCAA Player of the Year, because he couldn't play point guard at the D1 level. Center Jayce Johnson wanted the offense to be ran through him more, but instead Krystkowiak put him in his place and he chose to transfer--bad move on Johnson's part. The worst departure was Donnie Tillman--at one point a team leader. As big of a loss as this was, Tillman had both off-the-court issues and practice issues, it just was unfortunate for the program that he couldn't stay and worked through them.

2018-2019

Record: 17-14 (3rd place Pac-12, no tournament appearance)


Naseem Gaskin: Montana

Utah stats: None

Montana stats: None


Charles Jones: Portland State

Utah stats: 12 min, 3 ppg, 35% fg, 31% 3-pt

Portland State stats: None


Donnie Tillman: UNLV and then New Mexico State

Utah stats: 24 min, 9 ppg, 45% fg, 35% 3-pt, 5.0 rb, 1.2 ast, 1.4 to

UNLV stats: 26 min, 10 ppg, 38% fg, 29% 3-pt, 4.7 rb, 2.0 ast, 2.4 to

New Mexico State: TBD


Jayce Johnson: Marquette

Utah stats: 17 min, 6 ppg, 56% FG, 5.8 rb, 0.9 blk

Marquette stats: 15 min, 4 ppg, 63% fg, 5.7 rb, 0.6 blk

As of the end of May, there are two transfers from this last year's squad. Matt Van Komen chose to leave because his year was arguably mismanaged--let's be honest, he should have redshirted. As for Both Gach, this one stings. The biggest issue I have with this is that Krystkowiak stated that this was a surprise... It actually wasn't, as I had been informed mid-season that Gach was out the door and eyeing Utah State, initially. There's no need to spin this, especially when I was told this by sources from multiple angles.

The pandemic might have kept others from looking elsewhere, but we'll see if that changes, as restrictions loosen.

2019-2020

Record: 15-16 (8th place tie Pac-12, likely no tournament appearance regardless of NCAA postseason cancellation)


Matt Van Komen: St. Mary's

Utah stats: 5 min, 2 ppg, 70% fg, 1.7 rb, 0.9 blk

St Mary's stats: TBD


Both Gach: Unknown

Utah stats: 25 min, 9 ppg, 43% fg, 28% 3-pt, 2.8 rb, 2.5 ast


Our goal in this is to create a conversation to give fence-sitters a side, bolster fans' arguments for their point-of-view, and also flip some people who might be waffling. Look, Krystkowiak is an old-school coach who exudes pure class. Some players today just can't hand the old-school tough-love mentality. Does he deserve to be the 12th highest paid NCAA coach in the country? Not at all, but that's something former AD Chris Hill did that the school has to live with. The fact remains however, the Utes have a quality coach that represents the school with class. To some fans that's enough, to others only winning and watching a core group for 3-4 years at a time is enough.


EDITOR'S NOTE: Dustin Birch and Andrew Fronce contributed to this article.

Join the debate on our Inside Ute Nation message board.

Advertisement