Bachynski happy to 'showcase my abilities' in Jazz workout


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SALT LAKE CITY — Throughout an up-and-down career at the University of Utah, center Dallin Bachynski was shaped by the players and role he was asked to fill. Now Bachynski is looking ahead to the future as he prepares for a potential professional basketball career.

Bachynski was invited Wednesday to participate in one of many Utah Jazz pre-draft workouts the team puts on in preparation for the NBA draft in the latter part of June. Although projected to go undrafted at the time of his workout, Bachynski said he’s optimistic about his professional career chances and is grateful the Jazz invited him to workout.

“I’m lucky to be one of the guys the Jazz looks at and I’m very appreciative of the workout,” he said. “It was fun to be able to showcase my abilities of what I did at Utah.

“I’m going to take as many workouts as I can get, showcase what I can do,” Bachynski added. “If the NBA doesn’t work out, I’ll be playing in Europe.”

Bachynski will have many teams looking at him to see if he can fill a void on an NBA roster, considering his size and ability to hit deep jump shots. But Europe is likely the best path for Bachynski — a destination his older brother has found to be successful since leaving Arizona State last year.

“If I end up being able to play with my brother, like in France or Turkey if the NBA doesn’t work out for him or me, I would love the opportunity,” he said. “My wife and my brother’s wife and my nephew would be able to stay close as family.”

In the meantime, Bachynski said he’s working on various aspects of his game in preparation for other workouts. As a current basketball player to model his game after, Bachynski said he’s trying to emulate the play of Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki.

“Dirk Nowitzki is a big guy that’s maybe not the most athletic — he’s not a DeAndre Jordan — and I feel my game is more fitted towards Dirk's than DeAndre Jordan’s,” he said. “I’ve looked a lot at Dirk and the different moves he makes. At his prime when he got his shot off it was going in, and that’s something I’d like to be able to do. I’ve been working a lot on some different moves and moves similar to Dirk.”

But Bachynski isn’t necessarily holding out hope his name will be called sometime in June. As workouts come and go, Bachynski said he plans to just “do what I do” and try to fit a need on a team.

“One thing I’ve realized is there is no sure thing,” he said. “I’m just grateful for the opportunity to be here. If they like the way I play, I know I can contribute to any team at whatever position I need to be. I know I’m a good player, and if the coaches see that and think I’m a good fit, then I will do everything I can for the team.”

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