Who is your all-time favorite Runnin' Ute?

[Tony (admin)]

Okay time for a new fun topic to discuss. I’d like to know who your all-time favorite Runnin’ Ute is. Runnin’ Ute of course meaning basketball player.

There are many great players to choose from. For me though, growing up during the Jerry Pimm years I have a soft spot in my heart for the Vranes/Chambers/Bankowski years.

So for me the 6’7″ kid that had perhaps the most amazing vertical leap in the history of Utah basketball is my favorite, Danny Vranes.

[Wilson’s Mustache]

I’m too young to have seen to many of the great Utes, but I would have to go with KVH or Andre Miller. Great players both in college and the NBA and both seem to be great guys outside of basketball too. Both seem very proud to be Utes.

More recently I would have to say Delon Wright. Very humble kid. Hard not to root for him.

[Ute Bc]

There are certainly quite a few to choose from. I think the two I enjoyed the most were Buster Matheny and Keith Van Horn.

Buster had swag. He had a beautiful shot from the corner.

Keith was just a blast to watch. Made even more fun by watching Big Rick mold him.

[Tony (admin)]

Dang that made me tear up a bit, sniff sniff. Yes you can’t go wrong with KVH. 2nd draft pick to Tim Duncan.

I was AT the game between Wake Forest and the Utes on that new year’s eve. It was one of the most amazing games ever, even though we lost.

I can’t remember the exact rankings but it was seriously like #1 vs #2. Two top 5 teams. New Years Eve… Unreal.

[Anonymous]

Andre Miller is easily my favorite Runnin Ute.

The guy is nothing but class and lead the Utes to the title game without KVH. Just an amazing all around guy as well super humble and hard working.

 

I also always like Alex Jensen from that team. Great defender, relentless is the best way to describe his game.

[UTAuley]

Do coaches count? If so, then Majerus will always be my favorite Runnin’ Ute. Foul-mouthed, fat prick that he was, he also loved his players even when he hated them, and was the coach throughout my time at the U.

Otherwise, favorite as a Ute would be KVH. I was friends with a couple of guys on the team and got a chance to hang out with him a few times in ’96 and ’97. Played some great games as a Ute and definitely was the main reason those teams got as far as they did.

[Rick]

In this order:  Alex Jensen, Andre Miller, Delon Wright, KVN, Tom Chambers, Josh Grant and Pace Manion.

[Tony (admin)]

Do coaches count? If so, then Majerus will always be my favorite Runnin’ Ute.

Well sure they can count @utauley Hell, is sweater is hanging from the rafters.

Totally agree on all of your comments. Majerus meant SO much for this program. Met him several times and every one was hilarious.

[rbmw263]

I was about 8 years old when Andre graduated, but ive loved watching him in the pros. Definitely one of my favortes. Delon is easily my most favorite Ute ever, simply because how much I love watching him play. The guy is just an all around basketball player. So much skill. Really is a pleasure to watch him play. His impact on the game is incredible and very, very deep.

[oc_ute]

vranes, van horn, miller, tom chambers, wat misaka (look him up), judkins, mannion

[Puget Ute]

I loved Danny Vranes for his natural ability, but it was Tom Chambers who impressed me most by his work ethic. His long stint in the NBA including his ASG MVP win were icing on the cake.

Josh Grant was amazing. He played so far above his ability, every night, that he was a truly inspiring player. It is not often that you can fully trust your Forward/Center to handle the ball when your PG is under pressure. His posterization of Shawn Bradley was icing on the cake. (for the record, Shawn Bradley is a stellar human being and there is no shame in getting dunked on as an 18 yr-old freak show by JG).

Dr. Larry ‘Sugar’ Cain was a great ambassador and was a solid Center. He was also wicked smart, as he proved by going to medical school. His father was one of the truly great men I have ever known.

Mother-Effin’ Keith Van Horn. All around amazing in every aspect of the game. Dominant performances in every game. Never seemed to have an off night. Majerus rode him like a rented mule and he responded.

Mike Doleac (Dol-e-Shaq). Goofy ski bum with big feet from Oregon who flew in under the radar to become one of the all-time great Centers at the U and played for over a decade in the NBA.

Andre Miller. GOAT? His time at the U was magical, and be was a freaking wizard. His 18 seasons in the NBA have been impressive as well. And screw USC fans right in the eyehole forever for chanting ‘Prop 48!’ at Andre when we played them (at an invitational tournament?). Dude had a very rough life, recovered, graduated from college, and made himself into a MAN.

Jimmy Carroll, because my wife (gf at the time) thought he was hawt.

[Tony (admin)]

Very nicely done @pugetute. I have video I shot from the top row of the Huntsman Center of the dunk you mentioned where Josh Grant went right over Bradley. The place went NUTS!

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