Long before Bogut, there was McGill

The NBA's top pick strode regally into the room, and heads turned.

"There he is," someone said. "There's the man."

Tall, slender, graceful, he moved easily among the well-wishers, shaking hands, exchanging smiles. Ray Giacoletti, the Utes' basketball coach, made a beeline to shake his hand.

Billy McGill was back in town.

Before Andrew Bogut — and Andre Miller, Keith Van Horn, Danny Vranes or Michael Doleac, for that matter — Billy "The Hill" McGill was the best college player in America. In 1962, he left Utah for the NBA, the top pick in the draft.

Forty-four years later he joined another No. 1 draft pick from Utah. Bogut flew into town Saturday to see his jersey retired. It now will hang in the top of the Huntsman Center, along with the other Utah greats, including McGill.

"It's a different day," said McGill, reminiscing on his experience as the top pick. "I was the No. 1 pick, but there wasn't a lot of hoopla. I was just No. 1. Now if you're No. 1 you're getting two, three, four million dollars. And they haven't even played yet."

When he was drafted by the Chicago Zephyrs, McGill was handed a $5,000 signing bonus, an Austin Healy convertible and $17,000 for the season.

"That was a lot of money back then," someone said.

"If you say so," McGill said.

McGill was one of more than 50 former Utah players on hand to celebrate the retirement of Bogut's jersey. The event was an excuse to bring back the stars from bygone years. Thus, Vranes, Mike Soujourner, Arnie Ferrin, Allen Holmes and others began arriving around 6 p.m. Saturday in the Crimson Club reception room.

They drifted in one at a time as the years rolled back. Back to the days of McGill and beyond, to the Einar Nielsen Fieldhouse, Jack Gardner, Bill Foster and Vadal Peterson. They caught up on old times.

Giacoletti took a moment to welcome them before heading down to the locker room.

"You're always a part — and the most important part — of our basketball program," he said.

The reception was simple but sincere. The athletic administration hopes to capitalize on Utah's considerable basketball legacy by bringing back the legends every couple of years. McGill said he returns to Salt Lake from his home in Los Angeles fairly regularly. "Whenever somebody lets me know something's going on," he said.