How Utah Basketball Can Follow the National Runner-Ups' Blueprint

A New Era for Utah Basketball

Utah men's basketball coach Alex Jensen had a unique opportunity on Wednesday to connect with some of the most respected figures in college basketball. As members of the Big 12 conference gathered at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, for the league's annual media day, it became a gathering of college basketball royalty. Coaches like Bill Self, Scott Drew, Kelvin Sampson, and Tommy Lloyd were among the 16 head coaches who made appearances.

For those keeping track, this included two national championship-winning coaches, one who recently reached the Final Four, and another who holds the record for the most wins in a coach’s first two seasons. Entering his first year as head coach of his alma mater, Jensen is looking to build a program that can eventually reach similar heights with his Runnin' Utes.

While many programs are eager to beat the best to become the best, Jensen is focused on learning from these top-tier coaches. “There's not a better basketball conference, and the coaching is great,” Jensen said. “There's some great coaches to learn from, and I'm sure that speaking to them or not, I'm going to learn a lot.”

One of the coaches Jensen specifically mentioned was Kelvin Sampson, the architect behind one of the most impressive program turnarounds in college basketball history. “I'd take a brief conversation with Kelvin [Sampson] and what he's done in Houston in his 13 years,” Jensen said during the media day. “Houston's not a, you know, traditional powerhouse, but I admire that and was kind of curious to how he went about it.”

The Rise of Houston Under Kelvin Sampson

Houston, now considered a perennial title contender, was once a program in need of a revival. When Sampson arrived in 2015, the Cougars had not seen success in decades, with several middling seasons casting a shadow over their once-proud history. However, Sampson brought a new energy and a focus on defense that eventually led to significant improvements.

After finishing below .500 and ranked No. 214 at KenPom in 2015-16, the Cougars climbed to 22 wins and No. 61 in the rankings. By 2016-17, they were ranked No. 52, and by 2018, they secured their first NCAA Tournament win in over two decades. Since then, Houston has continued to climb, reaching the national championship game last season and establishing itself as one of the top programs in the country.

Utah's Path Forward

The Runnin' Utes, currently ranked No. 74 in KenPom and picked to finish No. 13 in the Big 12 preseason poll, have a long way to go before they can match the success of programs like Houston. Since their last NCAA Tournament appearance in 2016, Utah has only finished above .500 in conference play three times.

Jensen takes over a program that needs time to return to its former glory. Competing against powerhouses like Arizona, Baylor, Houston, and Kansas will be no small task. However, there is hope that the Utes can follow a similar path to Houston, which faced similar doubts when it joined the Big 12 in 2023-24 and has since gone 34-4 in conference play.

Building a Fresh Approach

For Utah, the key to success may lie in adopting a forward-thinking approach to roster building in the current revenue-sharing era of college athletics. This is where Jensen's first-year general manager, Wes Wilcox, comes into play. With over 20 years of NBA front office experience, including five years as assistant general manager of the Sacramento Kings, Wilcox brings a fresh perspective to the program.

“Maybe there's certainly a disadvantage because we haven't been in the recruiting trail for years, but maybe there's an opportunity that we're coming at this with fresh eyes as the landscape is changing dramatically,” Wilcox said. “We're looking at everything that's going on and saying, 'OK, where's the opportunity? How do we take advantage of it?'”

Wilcox, who has deep ties to Utah through his connections with Jensen and former coach Rick Majerus, sees potential in the program's history and future. “There's a lot of connections to Utah for me, personally,” he said. “I ended up working for [former director of player development] Donnie Daniels, who was an assistant coach under at Cal State Fullerton. I just knew a great deal about how this program had operated and how incredibly successful this program was historically.”

Looking Ahead

As the Utes embark on this new chapter, the challenge lies in navigating the ever-changing landscape of college athletics. However, with a focus on long-term success and a willingness to embrace new strategies, there is reason to believe that Utah can rise again.

“There's a lot of good coaches that have built programs and run programs for a long time [in the Big 12],” Jensen said. “And that's what we're trying to do; be good for a long time, not just a year or two.”