Kentucky’s Kerr Kriisa Addresses Media After Season-Ending Injury, Contemplates Future
In a painful time for Kentucky basketball, guard Kerr Kriisa met the media on Thursday. His season ended when he broke his foot. He suffered this injury during a close win, 90–89 over Gonzaga on December 7. The fifth-year senior spoke about his hard journey. He also spoke about his future. He may use a medical redshirt so he can join the Wildcats again next season.
“It’s been very interesting,” Kriisa said. He did not want to talk about next year. “It really doesn’t matter,” he added. “We’re in March. We have the biggest games of the year right now.” His words placed his focus on the present. Still, he had some doubt. “I don’t know if I want to do another three months of college. College summers are long. I might go overseas. We’ll see,” he said. His thoughts about a longer college career stayed unclear.
Kriisa did not show signs of returning for another season. He moved from West Virginia to join Kentucky in the offseason. He had spent one year with the Mountaineers and three seasons at Arizona before. Before his injury, Kriisa averaged 4.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. His shooting percentages were low—27.9% from the field and 26.3% from three-point range. Yet, he brought energy off the bench. Against Gonzaga, he scored eight points, grabbed three rebounds, and gave four assists before his injury. On defense, he rushed back after a fall during a fast break. This action left a strong mark.
Kriisa has not appeared in the box score since his injury. Still, he lifts his team with support from the sidelines. His teammates do not take his support for granted. In a warm show of unity, his fellow Wildcats surprised him on his birthday. They sneaked into his apartment in January to celebrate. Teammate Pope spoke of these moments. “I think those runs come from a group like that. I really do. I think it comes from being together, and these guys are working so hard to be together as much as they can. I think that’s probably the most important ingredient,” he said.
As Kentucky prepares for the postseason, the team needs that closeness. The Wildcats, seeded third, will play 14th-seeded Troy. The game is set for Friday at 7:10 p.m. ET and will air live on CBS. The Wildcats hope this togetherness will fuel a strong run in the tournament.
