Utah Basketball: Part Two The Transfers
If you missed Part One: The Guys Coming Back, read it here.
Unlike yesterday and the returning guys, the list of Transfers is quite long. So lets just get right to it.
Dallin Balchynski- 3.6 PPG 2.6 RPG at Southern Utah
Ok first, lets all get the giggles over his last name out of the way. Now his brother is the real deal at Arizona St. And if we get something like that this is a big win. On the other hand, Dallin couldn’t get off the bench at Southern Utah. And if he’s that guy, well…
Glen Dean- 13.3 PPG 4.2 APG at Eastern Washington
Now let’s start with this. I’ve seen Glen Dean play in person seven times, which means I’ve seen him play in person seven more times than any Ute fan, any insider and anyone on the coaching staff. So that pretty much makes me a Glen Dean expert.
Dean was a two year starter for Eastern under former Majerus assistant Kirk Earlywine. He was also Big Sky Freshmen of the year. When Earlywine was fired Dean asked for and received a release. He had decided to return to Eastern and told new coach Jim Hayford as much. Dean then reversed his decision when he was promised guaranteed admission to medical school if he came to Utah. (Note: This rubs me the wrong way as my wife is in medical school and I know how damn hard she worked there). Hayford for being a Foursquare preacher has some surprisingly colorful ways to describe the Utah staff.
As for what we’ll see with Dean, he’s quick and a very good shooter, in the Big Sky. Every time Dean faced more athletic competition, especially if they are at all long, he struggled. That has to be a concern in the Pac-12.
Aaron Dotson- 6.8 PPG 2.7 RPG at LSU
Dotson was supposed to be a heck of a recruit coming out of high school. However that never seemed to materialize at LSU. Even his sophomore year when he had plenty of opportunity with the Tigers he just wasn’t close to what was expected of him. I think of him as something like Ballchynski, if it translates into something more we’ll be lucky.
Jared DuBois- 10.1 PPG 2.6 RPG 2.1 APG at Loyola Marymont
Another red flag has to go up here. His production declined at LMU all three years while oddly, the Lions got better. He transferred because he losing all his minutes to a younger player. We essentially traded Chris Hines for DuBois and I’m not sure why we did.
Renan Lenz- 13.2 PPG 9.4 RPG 2.5 BPG
Lenz was a very good pickup for Utah. In fact, Utah was so desperate to get him, they told him if he comes to Utah, they will change their overseas trip to Brazil. Plus his girlfriend lives in Denver. Lenz will do the dirty work at the four Utah has missed for a while considering all the health problems Jay Watkins had. If we can get 10 and 8 out of him, we’d be very happy.
Thoughts
So what is to be made out of this group? Outside of Lenz doesn’t the entire group have to be considered a great big question mark. It would be a pleasant surprise if these guys came together. But think, we need a guy who couldn’t get off the bench at SUU, a Big Sky Guard, an huge under-achiever in the SEC and a guy who lost his minutes at Loyola-Marymont to become a real Pac-12 team.
I think it’s only responsible to be a skeptic.
Tomorrow, the freshmen.