Kerr Kriisa
{{Short description|Estonian basketball player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Kerr Kriisa
| image = Kerr Kriisa (cropped).jpg
| caption = Kriisa with Arizona in 2021
| number =
| position = Point guard
| height_m = 1.90
| weight_kg = 86
| league = Big 12 Conference
| team = Cincinnati Bearcats
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|1|2|df=y}}
| birth_place = Tartu, Estonia
| college =
- Arizona (2020–2023)
- West Virginia (2023–2024)
- Kentucky (2024–2025)
| career_start = 2016
| career_end =
| team1 = Tartu Ülikool
| years1 = 2016–2017
| team2 = Brose Bamberg
| years2 = 2017–2018
| team3 = →Baunach Young Pikes
| years3 = 2017–2018
| team4 = Žalgiris
| years4 = 2018–2020
| team5 = →Žalgiris-2
| years5 = 2018–2020
| years6 = 2019–2020
| team6 = →Prienai
| highlights =
}}
Kerr Kriisa (born 2 January 2001) is an Estonian college basketball player for the Cincinnati Bearcats. He previously played for the Arizona Wildcats, the West Virginia Mountaineers, and the Kentucky Wildcats. Listed at {{convert|6|ft|3|in|m|1}} and {{convert|190|lbs|kg|1}}, he plays the point guard position. A native of Tartu, he has competed with Estonian junior national teams on multiple occasions.
Early career
=2016–2018: Early years=
Kriisa played for the youth teams of his hometown club BC Tartu since he was 12 years old and debuted with Tartu Ülikool in the 2016–17 KML season at the age of 15. In September 2017 he signed with Brose Bamberg and started playing in their affiliate team Baunach Young Pikes.{{cite web|title=Kerr Kriisa siirdub Saksamaale Brose Bambergi noortesüsteemi|url=http://sport.delfi.ee/news/korvpall/eesti/kerr-kriisa-siirdub-saksamaale-brose-bambergi-noortesusteemi?id=79427662|website=Delfi Sport|accessdate=14 February 2019|date=6 September 2017|language=et}} His stint in Germany was cut short due to periostitis and he returned to Estonia for treatment.{{cite web|title=Vigastatud Kerr Kriisa lahkus Bambergist|url=https://sport.err.ee/654191/vigastatud-kerr-kriisa-lahkus-bambergist|website=ERR Sport|accessdate=14 February 2019|date=15 January 2017|language=et}}
=2018–2020: Žalgiris=
In August 2018, he signed with Žalgiris.{{cite web|title=Kerr Kriisa sõlmis lepingu Leedu tippklubi Kaunase Žalgirisega|url=https://sport.postimees.ee/6029445/kerr-kriisa-solmis-lepingu-leedu-tippklubi-kaunase-zalgirisega|website=Postimees Sport|accessdate=14 February 2018|date=6 August 2018|language=et}} In his first year with the Kaunas team Kriisa played on the Lithuanian second league (NKL) team Žalgiris-2 and also for the youth team in the Euroleague Basketball Next Generation Tournament. He was awarded with the MVP and All-Tournament Team honours at the Kaunas Qualifying Tournament. Kriisa averaged 17.3 points, 4.7 assists and 2.7 rebounds over 7 games in the 2018–19 season of Next Generation Tournament.{{cite web|title=Kerr Kriisa 2018-19 ANGT statistics|url=https://www.adidasngt.com/u18/competition/players/showplayer?pcode=009328&seasoncode=JTF418|website=ADIDAS Next Generation Tournament|accessdate=22 May 2019|date=}}
Kriisa made his EuroLeague debut for Žalgiris on 25 October 2019 and scored his first point from a free throw as Žalgiris defeated LDLC ASVEL 70–56 in the Regular Season Round 4 game.{{cite web|title=Zalgiris Kaunas vs. LDLD ASVEL Villerubanne - Game|url=https://www.euroleague.net/main/results/showgame?gamecode=33&seasoncode=E2019#!boxscore|website=EuroLeague|accessdate=6 November 2019|date=25 October 2019}} In November 2019 Kriisa was sent on loan to another Lithuanian team CBet Prienai to gain experience in the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL).{{cite web|title=Leedu portaal: Kerr Kriisa liitub sealse kõrgliigaklubiga|url=https://korvpall24.ee/leedu-portaal-kerr-kriisa-liitub-sealses-korgliigas-mangiva-klubiga/|website=Korvpall24|accessdate=6 November 2019|date=6 November 2019}}{{in lang|et}} His loan spell ended in January 2020 and Kriisa returned to Žalgiris-2.{{cite web|title=Kerr Kriisa naaseb Žalgirisse: mängunälg läks Prienais väga suureks|url=https://sport.delfi.ee/news/korvpall/eesti/kerr-kriisa-naaseb-zalgirisse-mangunalg-laks-prienais-vaga-suureks?id=88638495|website=Delfi Sport|accessdate=14 January 2020|date=13 January 2020}}{{in lang|et}}
College career
=2020–2023: Arizona Wildcats=
On April 18, 2020, Kriisa committed to play college basketball in the United States for Arizona. Analysts considered him to be the best European recruit considering playing at the collegiate level.{{cite web |last1=Givony |first1=Jonathan |title=Top international prospect Kerr Kriisa commits to Arizona |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/29055274/top-international-prospect-kerr-kriisa-commits-arizona |publisher=ESPN |access-date=April 18, 2020 |date=April 18, 2020}} After head coach Sean Miller was fired, he entered the NCAA transfer portal while leaving the option of returning to Arizona open. New head coach Tommy Lloyd was able to recruit him back to Arizona for his sophomore season.{{cite web |last1=Kelapire |first1=Ryan |title=Kerr Kriisa withdraws from transfer portal, will stay at Arizona |url=https://www.azdesertswarm.com/basketball/2021/4/21/22396512/kerr-kriisa-return-arizona-wildcats-tommy-lloyd-transfer-portal-point-guard |access-date=April 26, 2021 |date=April 21, 2021}}
As a junior, Kriisa averaged 9.9 points and 5.1 assists per game. Following the 2022–23 season, Kriisa announced that he would enter the transfer portal again.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/35918705/pac-12-assist-leader-kerr-kriisa-enter-transfer-portal|title=Arizona's Kerr Kriisa, Pac-12 assist leader, entering portal|work=ESPN|date=March 22, 2023|first=Jonathan|last= Givony|accessdate=March 16, 2024}}
= 2023–24: West Virginia Mountaineers =
Kriisa announced on April 5, 2023 that he intended to transfer to West Virginia.{{cite web |title=Arizona's Kerr Kriisa, top PG transfer, commits to West Virginia |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/36081732/arizona-kerr-kriisa-top-pg-transfer-commits-west-virginia}} After head coach Bob Huggins resigned following a DUI arrest, Kriisa initially announced on June 23 he was reentering the transfer portal. NCAA rules allow any student-athlete to enter the portal within 30 days after a head coaching change.{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/37905813/west-virginia-kerr-kriisa-enter-portal-huggins-exit |title=West Virginia's Kerr Kriisa to enter portal after Huggins' exit |first=Jonathan |last=Givony |website=ESPN.com |date=June 23, 2023 |access-date=June 26, 2023}} Two days later, after top Huggins assistant Josh Eilert was named interim head coach for the 2023–24 season, Kriisa left the portal and announced he would stay at West Virginia.{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/37914930/kerr-kriisa-stay-wvu-set-do-very-special |title=Kerr Kriisa to stay at WVU, set 'to do something very special' |first=Jeff |last=Borzello |website=ESPN.com |date=June 25, 2023 |access-date=June 26, 2023}}
After drawing an NCAA suspension for the first nine games of the 2023–24 season, Kriisa returned to start the rest of the Mountaineers' games, averaging 11.0 points and 4.7 assists and also leading the team in three-pointers. With a fifth year of college eligibility due to the NCAA granting such to all basketball players active in the COVID-impacted 2020–21 season, Kriisa entered the transfer portal again at the end of the 2023–24 season,{{cite news |url=https://wvmetronews.com/2024/04/02/kriisa-enters-transfer-portal/ |title=Kriisa enters transfer portal |first=Greg |last=Carey |website=West Virginia Metro News |date=April 2, 2024 |access-date=May 1, 2024}} announcing on May 1 that he would play his final college season at Kentucky.{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/40064642/west-virginia-transfer-kerr-kriisa-commits-kentucky |title=West Virginia transfer Kerr Kriisa commits to Kentucky |first=Jonathan |last=Givony |website=ESPN.com |date=May 1, 2024 |access-date=May 1, 2024}}
National team career
Kriisa has represented the Estonia national U-16 team at the 2016 and 2017 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championships and the Estonia national U-18 team at the 2019 FIBA Europe Under-18 Division B Championship.{{Cite web|title=Kerr KRIISA at the FIBA U18 European Championship Division B 2019|url=http://www.fiba.basketball/europe/u18b/2019/player/Kerr-Kriisa|access-date=2021-03-02|website=FIBA.basketball|language=en}}
Career statistics
{{Euroleague player statistics legend}}
=EuroLeague=
{{Euroleague player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2019–20
| style="text-align:left;"| Žalgiris
| 1 || 0 || 2.1 || .000 || .000 || .500 || .0 || .0 || .0 || .0 || 1.0 || .0
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career
| 1 || 0 || 2.1 || .000 || .000 || .500 || .0 || .0 || .0 || .0 || 1.0 || .0
{{S-end}}
=College=
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2020–21
| style="text-align:left;"| Arizona
| 8 || 5 || 22.9 || .333 || .368 || 1.000 || .5 || 2.4 || .4 || .0 || 5.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2021–22
| style="text-align:left;"| Arizona
| 33 || 31 || 29.6 || .348 || .336 || .816 || 2.5 || 4.7 || .6 || .1 || 9.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2022–23
| style="text-align:left;"| Arizona
| 35 || 34 || 31.1 || .372 || .366 || .767 || 2.4 || 5.1 || .6 || .0 || 9.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2023–24
| style="text-align:left;"| West Virginia
| 23 || 23 || 33.5 || .429 || .424 || .775 || 2.5 || 4.7 || .8 || .0 || 11.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2024–25
| style="text-align:left;"| Kentucky
| 9 || 1 || 17.3 || .279 || .263 || .857 || 2.4 || 3.8 || .4 || .2 || 4.4
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career
| 108 || 94 || 29.4 || .370 || .362 || .791 || 2.3 || 4.6 || .6 || .1 || 9.3
{{S-end}}
Personal life
Kerr is the son of former professional basketball player Valmo Kriisa.{{cite web|date=24 February 2017|title=TIPPHETKED ja FOTOD: Valmo ja Kerr Kriisa tegid Tartu võidumängus Eesti korvpalliajalugu|url=https://sport.delfi.ee/a/77343510|access-date=2020-07-25|website=Sport|language=et}} He is named after Steve Kerr, who also played basketball at the University of Arizona.{{Cite web|url=https://tucson.com/sports/arizonawildcats/basketball/big-name-pickup-wildcats-go-to-estonia-to-land-recruit-named-after-former-ua-star/article_462654ba-3b7f-55a7-8242-2815ccda2b1d.html|title = Big-name pickup: Wildcats go to Estonia to land recruit named after former UA star Steve Kerr}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://ukathletics.com/sports/mbball/roster/player/kerr-kriisa/ Kentucky Wildcats bio]
- [https://wvusports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/kerr-kriisa/17289 West Virginia Mountaineers bio]
- [https://arizonawildcats.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/kerr-kriisa/11132 Arizona Wildcats bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kriisa, Kerr}}
Category:Arizona Wildcats men's basketball players
Category:Estonian expatriate basketball people in Germany
Category:Estonian expatriate basketball people in Lithuania
Category:Estonian expatriate basketball people in the United States
Category:Estonian men's basketball players
Category:Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball players
Category:Basketball players from Tartu
Category:University of Tartu basketball team players
Category:West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball players