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College basketball transfer portal: Best potential fits for Baylor star guard LJ Cryer – 247Sports
LJ Cryer is not officially in the transfer portal, but the star Baylor guard plans to enter the portal in the coming days, according to a report by 247Sports’ Travis Branham. Monday’s news of Cryer’s imminent move showed just how quickly the transfer portal can change because a second wave of big-time talents like Cryer can enter the portal at a moment’s notice. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound flame-thrower averaged 15.0 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists in his first season as a full-time starter. Cryer will be extremely coveted in the portal. At this point, it would be more surprising who doesn’t gauge interest than who is involved with the Baylor transfer.
Cryer shot 41.5% from 3-point range last season on 6.2 attempts per game. Cryer was one of just 42 Division I players to splash at least 80 3-pointers in 2022-23. Cryer is a career 42.5% sniper from downtown who also shot 49.7% on 2s and 89.4% at the charity stripe last year. Despite the gaudy efficiency numbers, Cryer had the third-highest usage rate (20.3%) for Baylor behind freshman Keyonte George and veteran Adam Flagler.
Cryer wants to play point guard at his next destination, sources told 247Sports.
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Here are the potential schools that would make plenty of sense for Cryer:
Xavier: Sean Miller went into the transfer portal last year and empowered ex-UTEP star Souley Boum to make a real run at Big East Player of the Year. Xavier’s backcourt is begging for another big-time transfer to come in and be a star. Cryer would have the ball in his hands a ton, and Miller has plenty of NBA guys on his resume. Could Xavier put together a comparable NIL deal? That’s a big question.
Purdue: A flame-thrower like Cryer would be a godsend for a Purdue roster that feels like it is one good guard away from being a national championship contender. But will Cryer want to play in an offensive system that’s built around feeding big men the basketball? And will Purdue’s NIL collective make a big enough statement?
Kansas State: Kansas State coach Jerome Tang has a real relationship with Cryer dating back to his days as Baylor’s lead assistant. Tang will have at least two vacant spots in the backcourt to fill with Desi Sills and Markquis Nowell out of eligibility. Tang turned Kansas State into an Elite Eight-caliber team in one year thanks to his ability to get the most out of Nowell. Imagine what he could do with a talent like Cryer? There’s All-American upside for Cryer if he teams up with Tang again at Kansas State. But could he stomach playing against Scott Drew?
Houston: The University of Houston is only a 32-minute drive from Cryer’s hometown (Katy), so it’s not surprising that Kelvin Sampson spent plenty of time wooing Cryer when he was a top-100 recruit in the Class of 2020. Three years later, Sampson’s potential sell to Cryer just got a whole lot better when starting guard Tramon Mark entered the transfer portal. There’s a ton of available playing time for Cryer if Marcus Sasser stays in the 2023 NBA Draft, as expected. Jamal Shead’s presence might mean Cryer doesn’t get to be the full-time point guard, but Cryer knows you need multiple lead guards to win the NCAA Tournament. Shead didn’t negate anything from Sasser and he’d be a high-level running mate for Cryer in what would be one of the best backcourts in the country. Cryer would have no issues stepping into a Sasser-like role for the Cougars.
Arizona: Arizona desperately needs to add more proven shot-making after Kerr Kriisa entered the transfer portal and Courtney Ramey exhausted his eligibility. Bennedict Mathurin and Dalen Terry can act as proof of concept for Tommy Lloyd. He helped both studs transform into first-round NBA Draft picks. Sure, Arizona may have the twin towers back (Azuolas Tubelis and Oumar Ballo), but Cryer could be empowered to be the lead guard for one of the best offenses in college basketball.
Miami: If Miami star guard Isaiah Wong makes the jump to the NBA, the ‘Canes will be on the lookout for another stud guard. Miami has become a destination for transfers thanks to its gaudy NIL deals and its ability to win big. Miami could put together a very attractive NIL package for Cryer, and playing alongside former Big 12 foe like Nijel Pack could be an intriguing option in Miami’s free-flowing offense. There’s more than enough room for everyone to get theirs in Miami both on the floor and at the bank. Pack and Cryer would give Miami two of the best shooters in the country on the same roster.
Tennessee: If Tennessee wants to transform its offense, paying up for Cryer would make a whole lot of sense. Soon-to-be junior Zakai Zeigler does play point guard, but he’s recovering from a season-ending ACL injury and Zeigler showed he can play with another elite lead guard like Kennedy Chandler in 2021-22. Zeigler and Cryer would help each other far more than vice versa. Tennessee can hang with anybody in the NIL game, but it would be fair for Cryer to question his ability to succeed in Tennessee’s offense. Rick Barnes has had just one top-25 offense in his last 12 seasons. Cryer has played in a top-10 offense at Baylor in each of the last three years.
Texas: Texas will look very different next year with Marcus Carr, Timmy Allen and Sir’Jabari Rice exiting. Texas could flex its muscles if it is able to steal a player who likely would’ve been Baylor’s leading scorer. But the fit is everything. Tyrese Hunter is going through the 2023 NBA Draft process as we speak. If he leaves, Cryer would have little-to-no competition to be the guy in Austin next season. But if he returned, new Longhorns coach Rodney Terry would have some tougher decisions to make in the portal. Texas made a three-headed guard backcourt of Hunter, Carr and Rice work last year. Could it do it again with Cryer, Hunter and Arterio Morris (a former five-star guard)? On paper, that is a tantalizing backcourt, but growing pains would be expected. Cryer would have to be fine sharing the sugar in Texas –– something he got all too familiar with in Waco.
Oklahoma State: Cryer’s fit with Oklahoma State likely hinges on the fifth-year decision from Avery Anderson. But Mike Boynton had a relationship with Cryer when he was in high school, so it’d make plenty of sense for Oklahoma State to make a real run at him now. Regardless of Anderson’s decision, Cryer would be the most talented guard on Oklahoma State’s roster. The Cowboys should (would?) make room if the interest was mutual.
Illinois: During his one-year run at Oklahoma State, Brad Underwood made sure to recruit and offer Cryer. That could end up paying dividends. The Illini have one of the top NIL collectives in the sport which has helped Underwood make major noise in the transfer portal. Oh, and Underwood sure loves his Baylor Boys. Matthew Mayer was a third-team All-Big Ten selection, and big man Dain Dainja flirted with double figures all year. The Illini don’t have a proven point guard on the roster, so Cryer would be able to check that box off. Cryer would go a long way toward making sure the Illini don’t shoot under 31% from 3-point range again.
Auburn: Auburn has a starting point guard job to fill after Wendell Green Jr. announced he is pursuing professional opportunities. Small guards have thrived under Bruce Pearl’s leadership, but Cryer would check off a ton of boxes for the Tigers due to his ability to lead the SEC in 3-point shooting next season. Auburn shot just 31.5% from 3-point range last year which ranked 309th in the country, per KenPom. Cryer and Johni Broome would be a tantalizing inside-out combination.
North Carolina: Caleb Love’s high-highs were tantalizing, but a steady, reliable shot-maker like Cryer would be a breath of fresh air for UNC. R.J. Davis and Armando Bacot are both back which certainly adds to UNC’s cache in the transfer portal. Davis is not a ball-dominant, selfish lead guard, so Cryer would likely get a significant bump –– maybe from 20% at Baylor to 24% at UNC –– in usage rate.
Arkansas: Five-star freshman point guard Layden Blocker is on the way for Arkansas, and Eric Musselman could get Davonte “Devo” Davis back for another season, but expect Arkansas to at least be in contact with a dazzling talent like Cryer who could single-handedly fix some of the Hogs’ spacing and shooting issues. Davis, Cryer and Ricky Council IV is one terrifying trio especially with the loads of depth Arkansas should have.
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