The Question Is Not ‘Will He?’ It’s ‘When?’

The question most often asked of Keith Van Horn isn’t a question in his mind. And if Van Horn seems leery and weary of the incessant curiosity, it’s because he is.

No matter where he goes or what he does, speculation about when he will try the NBA follows. It’s reached the point that Van Horn, Utah’s exceptional junior forward, doesn’t want to talk much about anything.

His days are already full, what with being the Utes’ leader, an honor student, a father and a soon-to-be husband. Van Horn has enough to deal with and doesn’t appreciate the added NBA stuff, especially since he says he’s staying in school.

“Nobody has heard out of my mouth that I’m leaving,” Van Horn said. “I’m planning on staying, so I’ve maintained that all along. I think it would become a hassle for me if I was unsure or undecided--but I’m not.”

Of course, Van Horn reluctantly accepts that people might wonder. Such is life for 6-foot-9 college star with three-point range and post moves that leave would-be defenders dizzy.

Several NBA executives and coaches say Van Horn has what it takes for a prosperous pro career. But Van Horn insists he won’t make the leap until after his senior season.

So far, he hasn’t convinced most college basketball reporters. The Utah sports information department has been deluged with interview requests for him the last few months, and the first question typically asked is about his pro future.

“He hasn’t had time to study,” said Bruce “Woody” Woodbury, the Utes’ longtime director of media relations. “It’s just been crazy.”

So much so that Utah Coach Rick Majerus has recently limited Van Horn’s availability to reporters. Van Horn speaks on a conference call for one hour each week. That’s it.

“There were just too many requests for me to deal with,” he said. “With all the schoolwork and other things going on in my life, I was ending up standing people up all the time. This way, I just come in once a week and get it done and over with.”

Writers, however, aren’t the only ones interested in Van Horn’s plans. Majerus has received more than a few phone calls from agents and his friends in the NBA.

Interest is so high because Van Horn does so many things so well. At 238 pounds, he has the strength and skill to score inside and he creates matchup problems with his perimeter shooting.

“He’s a real pro prospect,” Utah Jazz President Frank Layden said. “He’s got a great pro body and big, strong legs. In all my years in the NBA, I’ve seen few big men who can run as well as he does. He’s got all the equipment to be a great pro.”

Van Horn leads 10th-ranked Utah in scoring and rebounding, averaging 21.7 points and 9.1 rebounds. Utah is 25-6 overall, won its second consecutive Western Athletic Conference regular-season title with a 15-3 record and will play Canisius (19-10) Thursday night at Dallas in a first-round NCAA tournament game.

As a sophomore, Van Horn averaged 21 points and 8.5 rebounds. He led the WAC in both categories and was selected the most valuable player of both the regular season and conference tournament.

“Van Horn? Oh, yeah, Van Horn is a very, very good player,” said Marty Blake, the NBA’s director of scouting. “He’s very tough and he’s improved every year. He’s one of these unusual players who plays inside and outside.”

Van Horn was chosen conference freshman of the year after averaging 18.3 points and 8.3 rebounds. He first showed promise at Diamond Bar High, where as a senior he averaged 29.2 points and 10.1 rebounds.

“Keith has made a lot of strides,” Majerus said. “He’s playing more aggressively and he’s doing a lot better job defensively.

“He’s evolving as a leader and he’s maturing as a young man. I think one of the things that escapes people about Keith is that he’s only 20 years old.”

Maybe because he seems so unflappable. Van Horn struggled academically in his freshman year, during which his father, Ken, died.

But since then, he has been a fixture on the Utah honor roll. Last spring, Van Horn had a 4.0 grade-point average.

Van Horn and his girlfriend, Amy Sida, plan to marry in August. They have a 9-month-old daughter, Sabrina.

“My family comes first, then school and basketball,” Van Horn said. “As long as you understand what’s most important and where you should be spending your time, then you know what to expect out of yourself. If you’re confused in life, or if you don’t know what your priorities are, then that’s when things become a problem.”

Although Van Horn hasn’t publicly wavered in his decision to stay in school, he concedes that he occasionally thinks about pro basketball. After all, NBA riches aren’t available to everyone.

“I don’t like to think about it a whole lot but, yeah, it has crossed my mind,” Van Horn said. “I thought about it before the season, like, ‘What would I do if I had a good season?’

“But by staying in school, I will get my degree and I think I would improve my draft position for next season. I just think there are more positives to staying.”

Even so, Majerus isn’t taking any chances. Since Van Horn’s father died, Majerus has counseled Van Horn and his mother, May, about the future.

Majerus said he plans to speak with several of his NBA confidantes, including Laker Coach Del Harris, to determine how high Van Horn might be drafted. He will also speak with agents to determine what type of salary Van Horn might command, then will evaluate the information with Van Horn.

“I just want to do whatever Keith wants to do and what’s best for him,” Majerus said. “I owe it to the kid.”

And if Van Horn changes his mind, he certainly won’t be the first--or last--player to do so. He doesn’t have to declare for the draft until May 12, so he has plenty of time to reevaluate things.

But don’t hold your breath, Van Horn said.

“Coming into college, I really didn’t know what to expect,” he said. “But after I had my first year and that foundation, I kind of placed some expectations on myself. I think I’ve improved in just about every facet of my game, but I want to keep getting better.”