Why so many foreign Ute basketballers?

[il Padrino Ute]

Originally Posted by myboynoah

Does Utah recruit Australia actively? You've done pretty well down under.

I'm not sure how active they recruit Australia. Ben Melmeth was the first Australian I remember coming to Utah and he was a Majerus recruit. Majerus got word of Bogut and went there to get him. Neville went to high school in Georgia and it helped that Bogut was at Utah for Giacoletti to get him. Weigh is the only other Australian that I'm aware of and he came here not so much because of Giacoletti but because Neville was here as well.

There seems to be some good players down that way. The trouble is that there are too few Boguts and too many Luc Longleys.

[cougjunkie]

Originally Posted by il Padrino Ute

I'm not sure how active they recruit Australia. Ben Melmeth was the first Australian I remember coming to Utah and he was a Majerus recruit. Majerus got word of Bogut and went there to get him. Neville went to high school in Georgia and it helped that Bogut was at Utah for Giacoletti to get him. Weigh is the only other Australian that I'm aware of and he came here not so much because of Giacoletti but because Neville was here as well.

There seems to be some good players down that way. The trouble is that there are too few Boguts and too many Luc Longleys.

Luc Longley has a few rings to his credit . How about two few Boguts and too many Sean Marks'.

[UteStar]

Originally Posted by il Padrino Ute

I'm not sure how active they recruit Australia. Ben Melmeth was the first Australian I remember coming to Utah and he was a Majerus recruit. Majerus got word of Bogut and went there to get him. Neville went to high school in Georgia and it helped that Bogut was at Utah for Giacoletti to get him. Weigh is the only other Australian that I'm aware of and he came here not so much because of Giacoletti but because Neville was here as well.

You are correct about Majerus and Bogut. One thing though--though Melmeth was Australian and ended up going back to play pro ball there, he played at Judge Memorial and Majerus got him through his connection with the old Judge coach there. That is a pretty good group of players though to play at the U (though Melmeth was by no means a big time player), Melmeth--Bogut--Nevill and Weigh.

It would have been nice to have a healthy Weigh and to see what he could have done over his career. Good for him though in getting paid some big bucks to play in front of of his home country.

[SteelBlue]

Originally Posted by UteStar

Kepkay is canadian

Ahhh, so that's the problem.

[mpfunk]

Originally Posted by myboynoah

Is that a good thing?

At one point the commentators noted that the Utes on the court all hailed from five different countries. Is this a vestige of the Jack-o-Letti period? How did it happen? They're not that talented (not only a Frenchman, but a white Frenchman!!).

I don't see this as a strength. It suggests Utah has difficulty luring players from it's natural recruiting base: the USA.

What happened?

What happened is Giacoletti liked to recruit in other countries. This will end with Boylen. The past two recruiting classes the Utes haven't signed a single foreign player.

Utah will be recruiting Utah, Michigan, California, and Texas.

The most recent recruiting class:
Jordan Cyphers: Wichita, Kansas
Chris Hines: Houston (I think), Texas
Jason Washburn: somewhere in Michigan
Jace Tavita: Utah
Josh Sharp: Utah

[il Padrino Ute]

Originally Posted by cougjunkie

Luc Longley has a few rings to his credit . How about two few Boguts and too many Sean Marks'.

Nice one. I'd say the Bulls got those rings despite Longley, but you do give a better example with Marks.

[myboynoah]

Originally Posted by mpfunk

What happened is Giacoletti liked to recruit in other countries. This will end with Boylen. The past two recruiting classes the Utes haven't signed a single foreign player.

Utah will be recruiting Utah, Michigan, California, and Texas.

The most recent recruiting class:
Jordan Cyphers: Wichita, Kansas
Chris Hines: Houston (I think), Texas
Jason Washburn: somewhere in Michigan
Jace Tavita: Utah
Josh Sharp: Utah

MP, your manlove for Boylen is coming into focus.

[il Padrino Ute]

Originally Posted by myboynoah

MP, your manlove for Boylen is coming into focus.

After Giacoletti, can you blame mp for it? Boylen looks like a knight in shining armor right about now.

[DrumNFeather]

Following up on Funk's post. I believe Giac even made comments about not being able to recruit in the States...I don't have a link or anything, but that is something I seem to remember him saying. As a fan, I remember being very discouraged to hear that.