Utah Utes basketball: Ute recruit Delon Wright could be a top player next year

STANFORD, Calif. — For the second straight game, one of Utah’s top players, watched from the stands.

One of Utah’s possible future top players, we should say.

Delon Wright, a Utah commit who plays for City College of San Francisco, was on hand for Sunday’s loss. The 6-foot-5, 175-pound guard has signed a letter of intent to play for the Utes next fall.

“I’m really excited about coming down and playing for coach K,’’ he said as he greeted Ute players after Sunday’s game at Maples Pavilion. “I’m really looking forward to it.’’

Wright is the younger brother of Philadelphia 76ers guard Dorrell Wright, who has played in the NBA for nine years. He calls himself “a late-bloomer” who wasn’t recruited out of high school.

“I just try to play an all-around game,’’ the 20-year-old said when asked about the strength of his game. “People tell me I have a high basketball IQ.’’

He said he chose Utah over Gonzaga, Washington and Washington State.

“They were recruiting me from the beginning,’’ Wright said of Utah. “This was the best fit for me. A lot of minutes might be available for me from the beginning.’’

This season, Wright is averaging 16 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals per game on 51 percent shooting and 48 percent from 3-point range. His team is 28-0 and currently playing in the California Community College Athletic Association postseason tournament and won its first playoff game Saturday night.

STILL NOT 1,000: It’s been a long climb for Jason Washburn in his quest to reach the 1,000-point scoring mark for his career.

Washburn needed 12 points to reach 1,000 points heading into Sunday’s game. However, he came up short again, scoring 10 points Sunday to stand at 998.

The senior from Michigan started off strong, scoring six of Utah’s first eight points, but only scored two points in the second half.

Washburn has scored just 24 points in his last three games after scoring 61 in his previous three. He’ll get to 1,000 with his first basket this week against Oregon State.

UTE NOTES: Utah has given up more than 80 points just three times all season, but twice against Stanford . . . Freshman Dakarai Tucker didn’t play Sunday because of a leg injury suffered in Thursday’s loss to Cal. Freshman Justin Seymour played in his place off the bench . . . This marked Utah’s third Sunday game of the season, the first on the road. Earlier, the Utes had played Stanford on Jan. 27 and Arizona Feb. 17 at home in Sunday affairs . . . The Utes return home to play Oregon State Thursday night and Oregon Saturday afternoon . . . Last year, the Utes nearly pulled off a big upset at Stanford, losing just 68-65 and later beat the Cardinal at home . . . Krystkowiak and Stanford coach Johnny Dawkins were teammates on the 1986 San Antonio Spurs.