We continue our recruit and return series with the Utah Utes, whose season ended Saturday with a loss to Gonzaga in the second round. A look at what the 2016-17 season could hold:
Possible 2016-17 starting five (statistics reflect regular season average)
G: Lorenzo Bonam (9.8 PPG, 3.3 RPG)
G: Kenneth Ogbe (5.2 PPG, 1.0 RPG)
F: David Collette (12.8 PPG, 5.0 RPG at Utah State)
F: Brekkott Chapman (4.6 PPG, 3.0 RPG)
F: Kyle Kuzma (10.7 PPG, 6.0 RPG)
Who is lost: The biggest departure won't be a senior; it's sophomore center Jakob Poeltl. The All-American center is likely to be a lottery pick in June, and is expected to leave early for the NBA. He developed into one of the best players in college basketball during his second season with the Utes, showing consistency and stamina that we didn't see every game as a freshman. He dominated late in the season. Coach Larry Krystkowiak will also bid farewell to starting point guard Brandon Taylor. Taylor saw his scoring dip a bit as a senior, but he stepped up down the stretch and provided some perimeter balance. Second-leading scorer Jordan Loveridge is out of eligibility, after averaging double figures all four seasons and showing versatility at both ends. Forward Dakarai Tucker is also moving on after playing different roles the past few seasons.
Who is added: Collette's departure from Utah State was controversial, as the Aggies denied his release. As a result, Collette had to pay his own way for the second semester at Utah -- but Krystkowiak will be happy he's in the fold next season. He put up nearly 13 points and five boards at Utah State, and brings versatility to the frontcourt. Another key frontcourt addition is 6-foot-11 center Jayce Johnson, a former ESPN 100 prospect from the 2016 class that decided to graduate early and redshirt this season. He has a ton of potential and will help replace Poeltl. Three-star shooting guard Devon Daniels comes from Prolific Prep (California) and Jojo Zamora is a junior college transfer in the backcourt. Utah will also get SMU transfer Sedrick Barefield, who should be able to get minutes at the point guard spot.
What it means for next season: Who replaces Poeltl? Utah doesn't produce top-10 draft picks on a yearly basis, so his production won't be replicated by anyone on the roster. With that said, the frontcourt will be the strength of the Utes once again. In addition to Collette and Johnson, a pair of key forwards return in Kuzma and Chapman. Kuzma slumped a little bit down the stretch of the regular season, but he was a regular double-figure scorer up front for Utah -- and also finished second on the team in rebounding. Chapman is a versatile frontcourt option, and the former ESPN 100 recruit presents a matchup problem at times. Expect him to see a bump in minutes next season. The backcourt will rely heavily on senior-to-be Bonam. He was a key playmaker for the Utes down the stretch, creating for himself and also distributing effectively. Ogbe played only five regular-season games because of injury but could find himself in a starting role next season.
Trending: Down. The Utes have been one of the best stories of the past two seasons, producing Delon Wright and Poeltl -- and Krystkowiak having them in the mix for the Pac-12 title two years in a row. With Poeltl, Loveridge and Taylor gone, 2016-17 might be Krystkowiak’s toughest task yet. Collette will provide a boost, but they'll need some perimeter help as well. It'll be tough to win 24 games again.