Larry Krystkowiak

Larry Krystkowiak

Larry Krystkowiak in 2007
Utah Utes
Position	Head coach
League	Pac-12 Conference
Personal information
Born	(1964-09-23) September 23, 1964 Missoula, Montana
Nationality	American
Listed height	6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight	220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
High school	Big Sky (Missoula, Montana)
College	Montana (1982–1986)
NBA draft	1986 / Round: 2 / Pick: 28th overall
Selected by the Chicago Bulls
Playing career	1986–1998
Position	Power forward
Number	42
Coaching career	1998–present
Career history
As player:
1986–1987	San Antonio Spurs
1987–1992	Milwaukee Bucks
1992–1993	Utah Jazz
1993–1994	Orlando Magic
1994–1995	Chicago Bulls
1995–1996	Levallois
1997	Los Angeles Lakers
1997–1998	Idaho Stampede
As coach:
1998–2000	Montana (assistant)
2001–2002	Old Dominion (assistant)
2003–2004	Idaho Stampede
2004–2006	Montana
2006–2007	Milwaukee Bucks (assistant)
2007–2008	Milwaukee Bucks
2010	USA U18 men's national team
2010–2011	New Jersey Nets (assistant)
2011–present	Utah
Career highlights and awards
As coach: 2× Big Sky Tournament champion (2004, 2005) As player: 3× Big Sky Player of the Year (1984–1986)
Career NBA statistics
Points	3,425 (8.2 ppg)
Rebounds	2,051 (4.9 rpg)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Medals Men's basketball Representing USA FIBA U19 World Championship 1983 Palma de Mallorca National team

Larry Brett Krystkowiak (/krᵻsˈkoʊviæk/ kris-KOH-vee-ak;^[1] born September 23, 1964) is a retired American professional basketball player, and current head coach of the Utah Utes men's basketball team.^[2][3]

Early life

He was born in Missoula, Montana^[3] to Bernard and Helen Krystkowiak.^[4] At a young age, his mother always encouraged Larry to participate in sports.^[5] His mother died of Hodgkin's lymphoma when he was eight years old^[6] and his father remarried. He primarily grew up in Shelby, Montana, and his step-mother did not approve of Larry playing sports.^[4] At the age of 15, Larry moved out of Shelby and finished his high school career at Big Sky High School in Missoula.^[7] During this time he lived with his older brother Bernie,^[4] who became Larry's legal guardian.^[5]

College career

Krystkowiak played college basketball for the University of Montana from 1982 to 1986 and still holds the school records for career points scored (2,017) and rebounds (1,105).^[8] He is the only person to have been named Big Sky Conference MVP three times (1984–1986).^[9]

Professional playing career

Krystkowiak was selected by the Chicago Bulls in the 2nd round (28th overall pick) of the 1986 NBA draft. He played power forward for nine seasons in the NBA, spending the bulk of his career with the Milwaukee Bucks. He also played for the San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz, Orlando Magic, Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers. In the 1988–89 season he averaged 12.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists and over 30 minutes per game for the Bucks.^[3] Over his NBA career, he averaged 8.1 points and 4.9 rebounds per contest.^[3]

Early coaching career

Krystkowiak began his coaching career in 1998 as an assistant to Don Holst at his alma mater, the University of Montana. He coached at Montana until 2000 when he left to join Old Dominion as an assistant under former Griz head coach, Blaine Taylor.^[9] He spent one season (2001–2002) at Old Dominion.

Krystkowiak got his first opportunity as a head coach with the CBA's Idaho Stampede in 2003–04. In his single season as the Stampede's head coach, he led the team to a 37–16 record and a CBA championship game berth.^[8]

He was hired as head men's basketball coach at the University of Montana in May 2004. He led the Griz to a 42–20 overall record over the course of the next two seasons, reaching the NCAA tournament each year as a result of winning the Big Sky Conference tourney. In 2006 the Grizzlies beat heavily favored, fifth seed, Nevada, in the NCAA Tournament.

Milwaukee Bucks and NBA

In June 2006 Krystkowiak left Montana to take a job as an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks under Terry Stotts. Krystkowiak was responsible for working with the Milwaukee's big men, notably second year players Andrew Bogut and Charlie Villanueva.^[10] He was named head coach of the team on March 14, 2007, after Stotts was fired. Stotts had led the Bucks to a 23–41 record during the 2006–07 season.^[11] He signed a reported 4-year contract with the Bucks, with an average annual salary of $2 million^[12] Krystkowiak's NBA head coaching debut on March 15, 2007, resulted in a 101–90 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.

On April 17, 2008, Krystkowiak was fired as Milwaukee Bucks head coach after a disappointing season in which the Bucks compiled the league's sixth worst record.^[13]

In July 2010 Krystkowiak joined the New Jersey Nets coaching staff alongside Avery Johnson and Sam Mitchell.^[14]

University of Utah

On April 3, 2011, it was announced that Krystkowiak would take over the head coaching position for the University of Utah men's basketball team, as they transitioned into Utah's first season in the newly realigned Pac-12.^[4]

After Krystkowiak was named Utah's head coach, eight (8) players left the program to play elsewhere and he was forced to bring in several junior college and walk-on players to fill his depleted roster. In a season where starting center David Foster missed the entire season and starting point guard Josh "Jiggy" Watkins was dismissed halfway through, Krystkowiak and the Utes struggled to a 6-25 finish, including only three wins against their new Pac-12 opponents.

The 2012–2013 season showed much improvement for Krystkowiak's Utes. The additions of freshmen Jordan Loveridge and Brandon Taylor, as well as great play and leadership from senior center Jason Washburn, would help Utah more than double their win total from the previous season. On March 9, 2013, Utah closed out its season by defeating No. 19 Oregon, celebrating Senior Night at the Huntsman Center with the program's first victory over a ranked opponent since 2009. Utah then defeated USC and California in the first and second rounds of the Pac-12 tournament before losing a rematch with Oregon, the eventual champion.

Krystkowiak's third season saw the 2013–2014 Runnin' Utes reach their first postseason tournament under the coach. The addition of transfer point guard Delon Wright and an improved core of players led Utah to a 21-12 record, receiving an at-large bid to the NIT. The next year he led his team to the sweet sixteen, their highest run in the tournament in years.

The National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame nominated Krystkowiak for its Class of 2013.^[15]

Personal life

Larry and his wife, Jan, have five children, Cam, Luc, Ben and twin girls Samantha and Finley.^[8] He has only seen his father once in over 30 years, because of the issues in his early life.^[6]

Head coaching record

Larry Krystkowiak's record as a head coach.

CBA

Men's college basketball

NBA

See also

• List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 2000 points and 1000 rebounds

References

External links

• NBA stats @ Basketball-Reference.com