Misha Radojevic, a 6-foot-10 post player from Serbia, will join the Utes next season and have two years of eligibility. Coach Ray Giacoletti initially believed the Utes would have to wait until Radojevic was admitted to the university to announce that he had signed a letter of intent, but learned Thursday that was not the case.

"He's somebody who can help us right away," Giacoletti said.

Especially now.

The Utes essentially dismissed sophomore forward Justin Hawkins from the team Monday, because of a variety of internal conflicts and disagreements. That left them without three of the starters who led them into the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament last month, with guard Marc Jackson exhausting his eligibility and center Andrew Bogut leaving for the NBA.

But Radojevic is expected to be the last of five new players the Utes will add for next season, giving Giacoletti something he did not have last season - depth. Though the Utes have one scholarship still available for next year, Giacoletti said he's not actively pursuing any more new players.

"I think we have ample depth now," he said.

A 22-year-old from Belgrade whom assistant coach Mike Score discovered through contacts overseas, Radojevic has been playing in the Serbian amateur leagues since he graduated from high school, and is averaging 12 points and nine rebounds per game for his current club, Tamis Pancevo.

"He's a tough kid," Giacoletti said.

And he could wind up taking Hawkins' place in the starting lineup, alongside 7-foot Australian center Luke Nevill. Nevill redshirted this past season, but Bogut said in a radio interview this week that his countryman has "a lot more potential than I had at that age. . . . If he works hard, he could be an NBA player in four years."

The Utes also are adding three-time all-state forward Shaun Green from Olympus High, point guard Johnnie Bryant, and shooting guards Lawrence Borha and Ricky Johns. In all, it's a group Giacoletti hopes can provide the versatility and athleticism to play the up-and-down, pressure-defense style that he prefers.

mcl@sltrib.com