The 2022-23 college basketball season has come to an end, and what a ride it was. The NCAA Tournament alone gave fans so many great games, with upsets galore and a Final Four no one predicted. The UConn Huskies emerged victorious, earning their fifth national title in school history with a dominant tournament run.
Now that we're officially in the offseason, fans have their eyes on how the transfer portal will shake out. Many star players have already entered the portal, and the season's end only means that more will follow. One of said star players already in the portal is former Baylor guard LJ Cryer.
Cryer was mostly a backup in his first two seasons at Baylor, starting just three games in that time. He became a permanent starter in 2022-23, and he balled out. The 6-foot guard averaged 15 points per game while shooting 45.3% from the field, and 41.5% on three-pointers, to lead the Bears to another strong season. They may have lost early in the NCAA Tournament, but Cryer still showed out with 45 points in two games.
Now, LJ Cryer hits the portal looking for a fresh start. In a rare move, Cryer himself has actually discussed his transfer portal decision in depth. In an article by Brandon Jenkins of 247Sports, Cryer shared some valuable insight into his recruitment. He stated that, in addition to wanting a fresh start, he is looking for “a great fit that will let me play both guard positions.”
Cryer also named some schools that have already reached out to him, including UCF, Gonzaga, Illinois, Kansas, LSU, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M. Additionally, he also discussed three other interested schools in-depth, ones that he is very familiar with. Without further ado, let's rank those three schools to determine which would be the best destination for LJ Cryer.
3. Arkansas Razorbacks
By his own admission, Cryer is not very familiar with Arkansas due to playing in a different conference. However, his Bears have faced off against the Razorbacks twice recently, first in the Elite Eight in 2021 and then in the SEC/Big 12 challenge in 2023. Despite that lack of familiarity, Cryer said he still admires what the program has done.
“I do not know too much about their program but we played them this year and in the Elite Eight my freshman year,” Cryer said. “They always have a lot of talented guys and Eric Musselman is a good coach. They are a winning program and he has had a lot of success over there. I am not too familiar because they are in the SEC, but I am interested in what they have to offer.”
If LJ Cryer were to go to Arkansas, he would have some big shoes to fill. The Razorbacks had three star guards this season, Nick Smith Jr., Ricky Council IV and Anthony Black, but the former two have already declared for the NBA Draft and Black may follow suit. With incoming freshman Lloyd Blocker, Washington transfer Keyon Menifield and Cryer, though, they could make up for those losses nicely. Cryer's three-point accuracy could also help a team that shot just 31.7% from beyond the arch this season.
2. Houston Cougars
LJ Cryer only saw Houston once in his time at Baylor, that being a 19-point Bears win in the 2021 Final Four. However, like with Arkansas, he still has interest in the program just from looking on the outside. In this case, he attributes that interest to how head coach Kelvin Sampson has developed guards Quentin Grimes and Marcus Sasser.
“They recruited me out of high school,” Cryer said. “Kelvin Sampson has produced guards in the past with Marcus Sasser and Quentin Grimes. Quentin was at Kansas and it did not work out for him. He went to Houston and from there, he took off. He was able to play as he did in high school and he was that guy. When he went back home, Sampson did not hold him back. He let him hoop. They are a tough program that plays defense, has a good culture and wins because of that.”
The Cougars have already lost a lot this offseason, with Sasser, Jarace Walker and Tramon Mark all declaring for the NBA Draft. However, they still have star guard Jamal Shead, plus some other rising stars. They should still be a contender next season, and Cryer would be right at home, quite literally as his hometown of Katy, Texas is less than 30 miles away.
1. Kansas State Wildcats
Kansas State may be the best fit for LJ Cryer solely based on head coach Jerome Tang. Tang spent 20 years as an assistant at Baylor before taking the Kansas State job last season, so naturally, he's someone Cryer knows very well. Other coaches and staff members that Cryer also knows only make this destination even more sensible.
“I know Coach Tang because he is the one who recruited me to Baylor,” Cryer said. “I have a relationship with him. And the Graduate Assistant who worked me out at Baylor is there, too. Ulric Maligi recruited me while he was at Texas A&M. I have a relationship with them. I feel like they have a great opportunity. Coach Tang changed the culture around there. He is a great coach. They went to the Elite Eight and he lets his guys play with freedom. That is what I am looking for. They have a great fanbase and he is doing things the right way over there. I am for sure going to give them a fair chance to tell me what it is.”
Of course, Kansas State is a team on the rise after going to the Elite Eight in Tang's first season. However, the Wildcats are losing a key player from that run in star guard Markquis Nowell. This leaves them with a big hole at guard, and LJ Cryer could fill that role. He's not as much of a facilitator as Nowell, but he does have better size and shooting ability. Add in the familiarity with the staff, and this is a slam-dunk move waiting to happen.
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