Dallin Bachynski carving his niche as bench player


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SALT LAKE CITY — University of Utah senior Dallin Bachynski has played several roles as a member of the Runnin’ Utes basketball team, and each role provided a valuable lesson along the way.

His current role as a bench player is one he says he’s most comfortable with for the team.

“I love coming off the bench,” he said. “I’d rather come off the bench than start because I’m able to assess the situation a little more and get a feel for the game without having to have to make mistakes.”

Bachynski was the team’s starting center for much of the 2013-14 season and was a valuable asset for a program on the rise. Now as a senior, Bachynski is looking to contribute wherever he is most valuable to help the team succeed, even if that means coming off the bench.

“My team doesn’t need me to do everything. My team needs me to rebound, needs me to defend and set good screens, and score the ball when I can,” he said. “That’s one of the things I’m trying to focus on.”

Jakob Poeltl, a 7-foot freshman center, came in last fall and claimed the starting spot from Bachynski, but Bachynski has maintained a positive attitude and outlook throughout the process, declaring his firm faith in the coaching staff and the process to help a team reach its maximum potential.


When I first got here I was a little immature — unsure of myself — which is one of the things that really affected me. By being so unsure of myself, I was unsure about the people around me. Once I was able to gain a little more confidence and the friendships that I had made, I was able to start to trust people a little more.

–Dallin Bachynski


“This year with Jakob coming in and him being highly recruited — big recruit — I trusted the coaches to let them make the decisions,” Bachynski said. “I’m not going to say I should start, I need to start, I’m a senior, I deserve it. I think all that’s ridiculous because the best player is going to be on the floor, and I think Jakob has a great spurt to start it and is a good jump-ball guy.”

But Bachynski hasn’t always been the team player he is today. As a Southern Utah University transfer following his freshman season, Bachynski had some struggles gelling with the team early on after losing his starting role to senior Jason Washburn. At the time, Utah head coach Larry Krystkowiak questioned Bachynski’s dedication to the program and the two agreed to a short break from the program.

Bachynski’s break didn't last more than a week, but was something he looks back on today as an immature time in his life.

“When I first got here I was a little immature — unsure of myself — which is one of the things that really affected me,” he said. “By being so unsure of myself, I was unsure about the people around me. Once I was able to gain a little more confidence and the friendships that I had made, I was able to start to trust people a little more.”

Bachynski said his trust in the coaching staff grew in the offseason and was instrumental in helping him align his actions with the upward direction the program was starting to take. Now, the program is nationally ranked and working toward a deep run in the NCAA tournament as its goal.

“When I first got recruited, I don’t think there was a whole lot in my mind saying we’re going to be a ranked team. It really was a grind,” he said. “It was coming in every day trying to get better personally, and then having coaches go out every day and recruit some good guys.

“I don’t know if I could really see it happening, but looking back on it I can see the little steps that were taken and the way that it moved,” he added.

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But Bachynski has no doubt the team has what it takes to make a splash in this year’s Pac-12 tournament and the ensuing NCAA tournament. Having essentially the same personnel on the roster as last season, Bachynski believes the team’s depth at each position will be key moving forward this year.

“One thing that will be different this year than years past, at least if we continue to do what we’re doing, is we’ll have a bye the first game (of the Pac-12 tournament),” Bachynski said. “That was one of the things last year and the year before, we just ran out of gas. Being so deep this year will be another help for us, that we won’t run out of gas quite as quickly. Maybe we can go a little further.

“We have a great guard in Brandon Taylor and in Delon Wright; shooters in Dakarai (Tucker) and Brandon; myself, Chris (Reyes), Brekkott (Chapman) and Jakob can all rebound; and then Brekkott’s a great scorer,” he added. “If we can put the pieces together and play the way we know how to play, and the way we play at home, I think we can definitely make an impact.”

Bachynski will soon be forced to accept that his NCAA career is over — a reality, he said, that hasn’t quite set in yet.

“It wears on you a little bit, but I try not to think about it too much because it’s not going to help me at all," he said. "I think if I thought about it too much I’d be playing scared — this might be one of my last games, so I’ve got to do everything I can.”

However, whatever his postcollege career plans include, Bachynski said he’s focused on playing basketball for as long as he’s allowed.

“I’m trying not to think about it too much because I’m trying to live in the moment; live in this year,” he said. “I know I’ll take basketball as far as I can, whether that be the NBA or Europe. I love the game of basketball, and I’ve put a lot of hard work into it, and I’m willing to put as much effort and strength into it as I can. If the stars say that I’m not going to play next year, then I’m glad that I have my degree, and I have a wife who loves me. I’ll be able to figure out something else.

“If I’m able to play the rest of the year, and we as a team do really well, it really looks good for me, and it looks great for Delon,” he added. “I trust coaches, and I just trust my teammates in order to give me a good look and come what may and love it.”

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