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It's happened more than once: Gabe Bealer is walking across campus when he's approached by some fans. Inevitably, they ask him a question.
"So you're Delon's replacement, right?"
He has to laugh. Wright? No.
He may be a junior college transfer who plays guard. He may even have come from the same school as Utah's All-American. But Bealer — well, he's trying to be himself.
"I'm just coming here to play my game and do what I can for the team," he said. "I'm not trying to be Delon."
No one is trying to be Delon. But to replace some of the production one of the best two-year players in school history provided, the Utes will be leaning on some of the newcomers to the program.
Meet them: From Gillette College, Lorenzo Bonam; from Brighton High School and an LDS Church mission, Brandon Miller; from Granger High School, Makol Mawien; from Gainesville, Ga., and an LDS mission, Austin Montgomery, who will be on academic scholarship.
And then there's Bealer, who went to City College of San Francisco. You know, where Delon went.
But these guys have game that is all their own. Bonam, for instance, is a do-it-all player from Michigan who averaged 16.5 points, 3.4 assists and 2.6 steals as a sophomore for the Pronghorns. The then-stocky 6-foot-4 guard could bang in the post for Gillette, or slash, pass and score in the backcourt.
But since he's come to Utah, Bonam said, the coaching staff has tried to narrow his role. He's lost at least 20 pounds since arriving in Salt Lake City, and he's been asked to focus on his passing.
"You've got more players around you to do what they're supposed to do," he said. "I'm a point guard so I'm supposed to distribute, to drive and kick, and get mine if I have to. You got your shooters. You got your rebounders. You got your post players. They tell you that."
Other newcomers will play more multiple roles. Bealer's 6-foot-6 frame gives him added length that can make him effective at the wings, and he said he's looking to add scoring punch to the lineup after redshirting with the Utes last spring and digesting some of the plays and schemes. Brandon Miller, a sharpshooter dating to his days as a Bengal, could help stretch the floor, but he also has point guard experience and can pass.
At 6-foot-9 and 215 pounds, Mawien could one day play either post position. He's trying to add weight to be able to compete at the Pac-12 level, but said what's helping him the most is going against 7-foot sophomore Jakob Poeltl every day.
"So far, I've learned a lot, even though it was a little harder than I thought it would be," Mawien said. "[Poeltl will be] an NBA player. Playing against a guy that good, I'm just going to get better."
Larry Krystkowiak said the learning curve has been steep for several of the newcomers. Take it from a guy coming off a mission: so is the physical curve. The newcomers are running more than they ever have, learning to play and think at a speed faster than they ever have.
And the bar is high, Miller said. Much higher than when he originally committed to the program in 2012.
"I knew they were going to be really good when I came back," he said. "I didn't know it was Sweet 16 good. I'm just really impressed with the caliber of guys we have. I'm also impressed how close we are."
Krystkowiak is often guarded about making early declarations. For the next month, the coaching staff will be evaluating what they have on their hands.
Fair or not, these fans have been spoiled by splashy debuts: Wright immediately became a star in 2013. Poeltl won a starting job before his first game in 2014, and gained NBA Draft buzz not long after.
Krystkowiak isn't putting pressure on any one player to be a difference-maker off the bat. He hopes the expectation is implied, not just to the newcomers, but to all of the Runnin' Utes.
"Whether it's a new guy wanting to make an impact, or one of our old guys — I'm curious to see anyone step up," he said. "That should be one of our intrinsic values in our program: Do something you haven't done before."
Twitter: @kylegoon —
Utah's newcomers
Gabe Bealer, G/F, jr. — From City College of San Francisco, played one year of JC averaging 12.9 ppg, 54.7 shooting percentage
Lorenzo Bonam, G, jr. — From Gillette College (Wyo.), 16.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg; Michigan native
Makol Mawien, F/C, fr. — From Granger High; 18.4 ppg, 9.7 rpg as a senior
Brandon Miller, G, fr. — From Brighton High, served an LDS Church mission in Argentina and New York; scored 21.6 ppg as a senior, leading Class 5A
Austin Montgomery, F, fr. — From Lakeview Academy (Ga.), served an LDS Church mission in Texas; averaged 20.8 ppg and 9 rpg as a senior