"We've got more tapes than we know what to do with on Roy," O'Connor said.

That library only grew when Hibbert - 24 inches at birth, 6-foot-9 as an eighth grader - decided last spring to return for his senior season even though he might have followed teammate Jeff Green as a lottery pick in the NBA Draft.

What might have surprised O'Connor, though, as he got to know Hibbert, were his feelings about the Jazz. Soon after his workout ended, Hibbert was telling reporters that he would love to come to Utah and even had studied Carlos Boozer's post moves.

"Obviously, they're going to have other big guys coming in," Hibbert said, "but I want them to remember me first, so hopefully I made an impression."

Hibbert was the first player to work out for the Jazz, who own the No. 23 pick in the June 26 draft. Only a year ago, Rice guard Morris Almond spoke glowingly of the Jazz after his workout, and later became their first-round pick.

"God, we're becoming a destination point," O'Connor said. "Isn't that amazing what a point guard does for you? I think there's people that recognize that maybe they could fit into a position or a place here. We look at guys like that."

Utah was the first stop for Hibbert on a trip that will take him to Sacramento and Seattle for workouts.

But Hibbert said he told his agent to make sure the Jazz saw him before the draft, sensing a team that presented a good fit.

At Georgetown, Hibbert played in the Princeton offense, with its premium on passing and team play.

He said he loved watching the Jazz and all the pick-and-rolls they run out of their halfcourt offense.

He was selected all-conference as a senior, averaging 13.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.2 blocks, but also struggled at times, finishing scoreless in one Big East Tournament game and fouling out with six points and one rebound in Georgetown's NCAA Tournament loss to Davidson.

Even Hibbert admitted he might not have lived up to expectations when asked how he now viewed his decision to return to college.

"People said I would have gone higher in the draft last year, but mentally, I don't think I was ready," Hibbert said. "Physically, I don't think I was ready. I think I'm more mentally and physically ready this year as opposed to any other year.

"And you can tell these workouts are no joke at all. It would have been tough for me last year.

"But I think that going back for my senior year, maybe not having the best season people would think, but I learned a lot."

O'Connor said Georgetown's record - 100-36 - in Hibbert's four years spoke for itself. "We think he had a terrific college career and go from there," O'Connor said. Hibbert also earned a degree in government by returning.

The Jazz could bring back Hibbert for a second workout closer to the draft.

Their only coach in attendance Wednesday was assistant Phil Johnson, though O'Connor said the workout had been taped for Jerry Sloan.

Another question is whether Hibbert would still be available at No. 23. But O'Connor had to joke after the early workout about the near consensus in mock drafts that Hibbert and the Jazz are a perfect match.

"I just thought we'd get the whole process over with," O'Connor said. "All the mock drafts [have] us taking him. I thought we'd bring him in early and we'll shut it down the rest of the time so we don't have to worry about the draft any more."

rsiler@sltrib.com