Jakob Poeltl was named a second-team all-American and was the Pacific-12 Conference player of the year. Credit Rick Bowmer/Associated Press
SALT LAKE CITY — The University of Utah men’s basketball coach, Larry Krystkowiak, said Jakob Poeltl was a perfect example of why many college players should return for their sophomore year, bucking the trend of playing just one season.
Poeltl, a Utes center, announced Wednesday that he was leaving college to enter the N.B.A. draft after a spectacular second year in which he improved his game in almost every way.
“He’s a poster child for what it’s like to stick around for another year,” Krystkowiak said. “He’s certainly far more ready today than he would have been a year ago. I don’t know how much meat is left on the bone for Jakob in this college process. He’s being projected right now as a top-10 pick.”
Poeltl made his plans known during a news conference at the Utah basketball practice facility, with several teammates, Athletic Director Chris Hill and the coaching staff in attendance. Poeltl, a 7-foot Austrian, said that he had enjoyed the college experience, which made his decision more difficult, but that the draft was the next step in his basketball progression. He has yet to hire an agent.
“I don’t regret anything about coming here, about staying a second year,” Poeltl said. “I really wanted to stay for two more years, but I think it’s a necessary step for me. At the end of the day, it was a decision that was logical to me.”
Poeltl was named a second-team all-American and was the Pacific-12 Conference player of the year. He ranked No. 2 in the Pac-12 in scoring, with 17.2 points per game; No. 4 in rebounds, with 9.1 per game; and No. 1 in shooting percentage, at 64.6. Poeltl was the first Utah player to surpass 600 points in a season since Andrew Bogut did so in 2004-5.
The Utes advanced to the round of 16 during his freshman season, and Poeltl returned despite having been expected to be a first-round N.B.A. pick. He is now projected as a lottery selection.
