Ute coach Krystkowiak isn't big on rhetoric

Larry Krystkowiak wasn’t flashy at his introduction Monday at the University of Utah, but that didn’t mean the new basketball coach wasn’t interesting. Despite criticism that the Utes “settled” on Krystkowiak, I thought it was a good choice.

If he knew how to coach in 2007, I’m assuming he still does.

Krystkowiak’s name arose at Utah four years ago, but he turned it down in favor of becoming coach of the Milwaukee Bucks. When asked about the differences between the situations then and now, he said, “I’m a better coach than I was back in ’07. I don’t want to get into the particulars of it, but I know I’m a better coach than in 2007. I really feel this program is in a better position to maybe be considered a better program now than in 2007.”

While Krystkowiak didn’t wow the boosters and media with fiery rhetoric, he seemed a lot like he was as a player — a quiet doer rather than a talker.

Asked about needing leadership on his team, the former Jazz forward said, “I personally think leadership shouldn’t be talked about too much. I think if somebody talks a lot about being a leader, he’s probably not doing the right thing. To me it’s like wasting time talking about how you’re going to succeed when you need to be doing it. There’s different kinds of leaders, but personally I’d rather have a leader doing it by example.”

Sounds a lot like John Stockton and Jerry Sloan to me.