Utah head coach Larry Krystkowiak was fired on Tuesday after 10 seasons with the Utes, during which time he went 183-139 and reached the NCAA Tournament twice (2015 and 2016).
“The decision comes after a thorough evaluation of the program—both on and off of the court—as I do with every head coach at the conclusion of their seasons,” AD Mark Harlan said in a statement. “Ultimately, our program needs a new voice, a new vision and a new leader who can build upon Larry’s foundation and lead us to greater heights in the years ahead.”
Krystkowiak is owed a rather large buyout – reported to be in the range of $6.5 million – which Harlan confirmed “will be fully funded from athletically-generated resources.”
Utah hired Krystkowiak back in 2011 after he had spent the previous few years working in the NBA, including a stint as the Milwaukee Bucks’ head coach. Prior to that, he had a short but successful tenure as the head coach at his alma mater, Montana, going to the NCAA Tournament in both years at the helm. In his Grizz playing days, he became the first (and still only) player to win the Big Sky POY three times (1984-86).
credit to Christian Petersen/Getty for the image
