Larry Krystkowiak

American basketball player and coach

Larry Brett Krystkowiak (/k//r//ᵻ//s/'/k//oʊ//v//i//æ//k/ krisKOHvee ak; born September 23, 1964) is a retired American professional basketball player, and former head coach of the Utah Utes men's basketball team.

He was born in Missoula, Montana, At a young age, his mother always encouraged Larry to participate in sports. His mother died of Hodgkin's lymphoma when he was eight years old and his father remarried. He primarily grew up in Shelby, Montana, and his step mother did not approve of Larry playing sports. During this time he lived with his older brother Bernie, He is the only person to have been named Big Sky Conference MVP three times (1984–1986). Krystkowiak's jersey number was retired by the University of Montana.

Krystkowiak was selected by the Chicago Bulls in the second round (28th overall pick) of the 1986 NBA draft. He played power forward for nine seasons in the NBA, spending the bulk of his career with the Milwaukee Bucks. He also played for the San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz, Orlando Magic, Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers. In the 1988–89 season he averaged 12.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists and over 30 minutes per game for the Bucks. He was named head coach of the team on March 14, 2007, after Stotts was fired. Stotts had led the Bucks to a 23–41 record during the 2006–07 season. He signed a reported 4 year contract with the Bucks, with an average annual salary of $2 million Krystkowiak's NBA head coaching debut on March 15, 2007, resulted in a 101–90 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. On April 17, 2008, Krystkowiak was fired as Milwaukee Bucks head coach after a disappointing season in which the Bucks compiled the league's sixth worst record. In July 2010 Krystkowiak joined the New Jersey Nets coaching staff alongside Avery Johnson and Sam Mitchell.

On April 3, 2011, it was announced that Krystkowiak would take over the head coaching position for the University of Utah men's basketball team, as they transitioned into Utah's first season in the newly realigned Pac 12. On June 21, 2018 Krystkowiak was enshrined into the National Polish American Sports Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2018 in Troy, Michigan. On March 16, 2021 Larry was fired by the University of Utah.

Larry and his wife, Jan, have five children, Cam, Luc, Ben and twin girls Sam and Fin. He has seen his father only once in over 30 years, because of the issues in his early life.

Larry Krystkowiak's record as a head coach.

Team Year Regular Season Post Season G W L PctFinish Result Idaho Stampede 2003–04533716.698 Lost CBA championship game