Former Arizona guard Kerr Kriisa, one of the top college basketball transfers this spring, has committed to play at West Virginia next season, he told ESPN on Wednesday.
"I wanted to start from zero," Kriisa said. "I didn't want to go anywhere where I had preexisting relationships. I need to challenge myself. I really liked how they recruited me. Jay Kuntz and the entire staff. When I saw the old truck that Bob Huggins is driving, I knew that guy was loyal. Now I need to start playing some defense."
Kriisa's track record of winning games as the starting point guard at Arizona is unmatched by any player in the NCAA transfer portal, going 57-11 the past two seasons. He won the Pac-12 tournament championship this season, helping Arizona to a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament, while leading the conference in assists and shooting 37% for 3.
Last season he helped Arizona to a No. 1 tournament seed as the Pac-12 champions, again leading the conference in assists.
He picked West Virginia over a list of schools that included Xavier, Ole Miss, Arkansas and Nebraska, he told ESPN.
Kriisa, born in Estonia, garnered significant experience last summer at the FIBA Eurobasket. His national team competed against the likes of Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Lauri Markkanen, making him one of the most battle-tested point guards in college basketball. He has one season of eligibility remaining.
Jonathan Givony is an NBA draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service used by NBA, NCAA and international teams.