There’s renewed optimism for Utah basketball — and one lingering question — as it opens practice
A high-spirited Craig Smith bounded up to press availability on Tuesday in a clean, white sweatshirt adorned with a University of Utah drum and feather logo that caught the attention of a group of reporters who took note of the fashionable attire.
That moment mirrored the crisp, fresh optimism the Utes displayed ahead of their first practice of preseason training camp on Tuesday.
“We’re super excited to get rolling with this team. We’ve got six weeks to go, it seems to be a group that really has an attitude that craves improvement,” Smith said.
Smith, who is heading into his third season as the Utes coach, has a mixture of veterans and newcomers on this year’s team, headlined by All-Pac-12 first-team senior center Branden Carlson, who tested the NBA waters this offseason before deciding to return.
The 7-foot Bingham High product has high expectations for his final season — to break the Utes’ seven-year NCAA tournament drought.
“I didn’t come back to not make the tournament this year,” Carlson said.
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Counting Carlson, the Utes return eight players from a squad that finished the 2022-23 season with a 17-15 record. After a quick start to the year that included a win over then-No. 4 Arizona, Utah faltered down the stretch, losing its final six games as injuries mounted along the guard line.
That finish hasn’t dampened the mood of returning players like senior guard Gabe Madsen heading into a new season.
Having a new group of teammates — seven in total, with four transfers — can do that.
“This team has a lot of returning guys, and a lot of guys are coming in new that have a lot of experience. It’s a great combination to take this team where we want to go,” Madsen said.
There is one lingering question: Will Georgia Tech transfer guard Deivon Smith be suiting up for the Utes this season?
Craig Smith still doesn’t have an answer whether Deivon Smith, who’s transferred before and isn’t a graduate transfer, will receive a waiver from the NCAA to play this season.
“It’s hard on everybody, but it’s especially hard on him. You just don’t know,” the coach said. “He’s handled it well. He’s handled it as a professional. I know there’s some tough days certainly, but there’s some great days. He definitely brings a different element to our team, which you’ll see, with his speed and athleticism.”
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During the first practice, Deivon Smith — who has two years of eligibility remaining and a redshirt year available — showed off some of the shifty athleticism that Utah recruited the point guard for.
The 6-foot-1 Georgia native started 13 games and averaged 7.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game last season for the Yellow Jackets.
“He’s a special player. He’s a freak athlete obviously and really crafty with the ball in his hands,” Madsen said about Smith. “He’s fun to play with and distributes the ball really well.”
Craig Smith outlined the possibility of how a redshirt season could benefit the Georgia Tech transfer, if it comes to that.
“Like I told him in the recruiting process, you hope for the best, expect the worst. Your mindset’s got to be a certain way. But just know from our standpoint, obviously we really want you to get a waiver, but at the same time, if you don’t get the waiver, we want you. We can develop you, we can help you,” the coach said.
“The redshirt thing isn’t a bad thing. It’s almost like not even talked about anymore, but it’s a real thing and I’ve seen the positive benefits of so many players over the years that I’ve coached.”
All totaled, there are 15 players on the roster heading into training camp, with three walk-ons and one open scholarship position. Karahan Efeoglu, a power forward out of Turkey who signed with Utah last month, is no longer on the roster, the coach confirmed without elaborating.
Over the summer, the team had the opportunity to bond a bit — and earn a little NCAA-approved extra practice time — during an international trip that included four games in Spain.
“It gave us a head start on ... building chemistry, to work out some kinks you figure out in the first few games of the season,” Carlson said. “I think we’ve been able to work things out earlier because of these longer practices in the summer and those games.”
The Utes will find out just what kind of team they have when they host Eastern Washington on Nov. 6 to kick off the season.
“It almost feels like our second season already with these guys because we went through summer together,” Madsen said. “We had so much time to spend together in Spain, it’s a great advantage and a good head start.”
