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Jared Uthoff went to Iowa because Hawkeyes coach Fran McCaffrey promised to make his game ready for the NBA.
True to his word, the coach used Uthoff in many different ways during his time with the Hawkeyes. He played both forward spots. He played center in smaller lineups. He shot 3-pointers from the perimeter. He posted up in the paint.
He basically played everything outside of point guard.
"That experience in college helped me a lot," Uthoff said. "Coach did a great job of preparing me for what's ahead."
Uthoff worked out for the Utah Jazz on Thursday morning in a group that included Idaho State underclassman Ethan Telfair, whose older brother Sebastian was an NBA point guard for the better part of a decade.
But Uthoff was the headliner in an otherwise lackluster group. At 6-foot-10, he was the only one with a chance of getting drafted, and his ceiling is middle to late second round. Still, Uthoff has a chance to play in the NBA because of two traits: He can shoot, and he's versatile on both ends.
At the NBA level, Uthoff projects as a playmaking power forward, one who can knock down shots from beyond the line and make plays for himself and his teammates off the dribble. That offensive talent has piqued scouting interest. Uthoff was invited to last week's NBA pre-draft combine, and has workouts lined up for different teams.
"The combine was a great experience, being on the floor with so many other great players," Uthoff said. "I feel at the NBA level, I can offer a lot of different things, that's my strength."
Uthoff had a strong senior season at Iowa, making first team all-Big 10. He got better every season of his collegiate career and had a central role for a Hawkeyes team that was ranked in the top 10 in college basketball for much of the season.
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