Kentucky announced the signing of the 6-foot-3 sharpshooter one day after receiving an unexpected commitment from West Virginia transfer point guard Kerr Kriisa.
According to a news release, UK head coach Mark Pope commented, “Kerr Kriisa is one of the best shooters in the country.” I feel as though I’ve been recruiting him since he was a prep player for the past five or six years. He is among the college basketball team’s most seasoned guards. After playing for a few elite teams in Arizona, Kerr spent the previous year in the esteemed halls of West Virginia. His passion of competition is contagious and manifests itself in every manner. On the floor and in the locker room, Kerr will have a significant influence on our squad. His audacious personality will be adored by Kentucky supporters.”
Kriisa is an Estonian native who began his collegiate career at Arizona, where he signed as a four-star prospect rated as the nation’s 69th best player and the 12th best point guard according to 247sports’ 2020 class rankings of players.
Despite playing in only eight games as a true freshman, he played in 33 games as a sophomore, starting 31 of them. In Tommy Lloyd’s first season as head coach, he averaged 9.7 points, 4.7 assists, and 2.5 rebounds per game while shooting 34.8 percent from the field and 33.6 percent from three.
For Arizona in the 2022–2023 junior season, Kriisa started 34 games and participated in all 35. He shot 37.2% from the field and 37.2% from three, averaging 9.9 points, 5.1 assists, and 2.4 rebounds a game. Arizona finished the season with a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament and the PAC 12 Tournament championship.
Kriisa started all 23 of the Mountaineers’ games this past season while playing for West Virginia. He missed nine due to a suspension he received from Arizona for accepting improper perks.
In addition to a career-high 11.0 points per game, the 6-foot-3 point guard also averaged 4.7 assists, 2.5 rebounds, 0.8 steals, and shooting 42.9 percent from the field, 42.4 percent from three, and 77.5 percent from the free throw line.
In a defeat against Pope and BYU, he scored a season-high 25 points, scored 24 points and pulled down five rebounds, and recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 assists in a win over Toledo.
With a single season of eligibility remaining, Kriisa—a four-star prospect rated as the 125th best transfer in the nation and the 27th best point guard by 247Sports—will be able to use his eligibility in Lexington.
Along with forwards Amari Williams (Drexel), Andrew Carr (Wake Forest), Brandon Garrison (Oklahoma State), and Otega Oweh (Oklahoma), and guards Koby Brea (Dayton) and Lamont Butler (San Diego State), he is the Cats’ fifth offseason addition via the transfer portal.
With the addition of guards Collin Chandler and Travis Perry, two four-star freshmen, UK now has nine players committed for the 2024–25 campaign.
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