Larry Krystkowiak is Utah's New Head Men's Basketball Coach

April 4, 2011

SALT LAKE CITY--Larry Krystkowiak was introduced today as the new men's basketball coach at the University of Utah. Krystkowiak (pronounced krist-KOH-vee-ak), who has head coaching experience in the NCAA, CBA and NBA, leaves a position as an assistant coach with the New Jersey Nets to become the 15th head coach in Utah men's basketball history.

"I am excited to announce Larry Krystkowiak as our basketball coach at the University of Utah," said Director of Athletics Dr. Chris Hill. "Larry has the ability to lead our program to the national prominence it has enjoyed for much of our history and he understands the importance of Utah basketball to our university and community. Larry has outstanding experience as a player and coach, both collegiately and in the NBA. He has impressed me with his intelligence, intensity, basketball knowledge and love of the game. Through the search process, I found there to be a lot of interest in our job. In the end, I just kept coming back to Larry and am pleased he was as enthusiastic about becoming our coach as I was in offering him the job."

Krystkowiak led Montana to a 42-20 record and two NCAA appearances as the Grizzlies' head coach from 2004-06 before joining the NBA coaching ranks. Hired as an assistant coach by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2006-07, "Krysko" was elevated to head coach with 17 games remaining in the season. He was retained as the Bucks' head coach in 2007-08. Among the players he coached was former Ute All-American Andrew Bogut. Krystkowiak's other head coaching experience was in the CBA as the head coach of the Idaho Stampede in 2003-04.

"This is such a bright time at the University of Utah and I am excited to have an opportunity to lead the basketball program," said Krystkowiak. "The University of Utah is a great institution with a proud basketball tradition in a great city. Starting play as members of the Pac-12 Conference makes this an especially exciting time and I am thrilled to be a part of this new chapter in Utah basketball history. My expectation, as well as the expectations of the Salt Lake community, is that Utah basketball should compete on a regional and national level. Our team will embrace that challenge. Working with young men on and off the basketball court is very rewarding for me and I look forward to feeling the pulse of the campus again."

After a nine-year NBA playing career in six cities, Krystkowiak's first coaching job was as an assistant coach at the University of Montana from 1998-2000. The Grizzlies were the Big Sky champions in 2000. He went to Old Dominion as an assistant in 2001-02 before signing on as the head coach of the CBA's Idaho Stampede. In his lone season with the Stampede in 2003-04, he led the team to a 38-14 record and a berth in the CBA Finals.

He spent the next two seasons as the head coach at Montana. The Grizzlies won the Big Sky championship in both 2004-05 and 2005-06, playing in the NCAA First Round in 2005 and advancing to the NCAA Second Round in 2006. The Griz upset fifth-seed Nevada in NCAA first-round action in the Huntsman Center in 2006. It was Montana's first NCAA tournament win since 1975 and UM finished the season with a 24-7 record. Montana went 18-13 in Krystkowiak's first season, losing to No. 1 seed Washington in the NCAA First Round.

The only three-time Big Sky MVP in league history and two-time Academic All-American for Montana from 1982-86, Krystkowiak is still the school's all-time career leader in points (2,017) and rebounds (1,105). He was selected in the second round (28th overall pick) of the 1986 NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls and played in the league for nine years with San Antonio (1986-87), Milwaukee (1988-92), Utah (1992-93), Orlando (1993-94), Chicago (1994-96) and the Los Angeles Lakers (1996). Over his NBA career, he averaged 8.1 points and 4.1 rebounds a game with his best season in 1988-89 when he averaged 12.7 points and 7.6 rebounds a game for Milwaukee.

Krystkowiak made the Dean's List four years at Montana, including in 1996, when he completed the degree he began over a decade earlier in business administration. He graduated with honors with a 3.5 grade point average.

He and his wife Jan have five children, sons Cam, Luc, Ben and twin daughters Samantha and Finley.

The Krystkowiak File

Personal

Birthdate: Sept. 23, 1964Alma Mater: Montana (1996)Degree: Bachelor's in business administrationFamily: wife Jan; sons Cam, Luc, Ben and twin daughters Samantha and Finley.

Coaching Experience


2010-11New Jersey Nets (Assistant Coach).
2009-10Adidas Nations/Adidas USA Head Coach
2007-08Milwaukee Bucks (Head Coach)Record: 31-69**Includes final 17 games of 2006-07.
2006-07Milwaukee Bucks (Assistant/Head Coach)
2004-06Montana (Head Coach)Record: 42-20 (2 seasons)NCAA Tournament Appearances: 2NCAA 2nd Round: 2006
2003-04Idaho Stampede, CBA (Head Coach)Record: 38-14 (1 season)Postseason: CBA Finals
2001-02Old Dominion (Assistant Coach)
1998-2000Montana (Assistant Coach)

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