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Utah’s Coach Krystkowiak ‘fit as a fiddle’ after being treated for cancer

Posted at 6:28 PM, Dec 09, 2016
and last updated 2016-12-09 20:28:40-05

SALT LAKE CITY — In his weekly radio show this week with ESPN 700, Utah men’s basketball coach Larry Krystkowiak mistakenly revealed that he was treated for cancer over the spring.

Krystkowiak had intended to keep the treatments secret, but he jokingly quipped with radio host Bill Riley about his weight and talked about the cancer that has since been removed in his thyroid. He said he had forgotten he was on-air at the time.

Reporters pressed him further on the matter following the Ute’s victory over Utah Valley this week. Krystkowiak said he considers himself lucky that doctors caught it when they did, and that he had access to the Huntsman Cancer Institute up the street.

“Number one, if you’re gonna get cancer you probably want it in your thyroid,” he said. “…Number two, there is not a better place in America to have somebody try to take care of you then right across the street here at Huntsman’s outfit. So, I had a lot of things going in my favor, and happy to get through it, certainly. Never taking anything for granted.”

Coach Krystkowiak said he kept things under the radar, but noted the team knew something was going on as he missed a “bunch of time” for various appointments. He said he is feeling fine these days.

“Had the old thyroid removed, had cancer in it, and fit as a fiddle,” Krystkowiak said.

Utah visits 13th ranked Xavier on Saturday.