Tag: Ryan Kalkbrenner

Creighton senior Ryan Kalkbrenner withdraws from NBA draft, combine

Creighton senior Ryan Kalkbrenner has withdrawn from the 2024 NBA draft and will not attend the draft combine in Chicago.

Creighton senior Ryan Kalkbrenner has withdrawn from the 2024 NBA draft and will not attend the draft combine in Chicago, Illinois, the league announced on Saturday.

Kalkbrenner declared for the draft this year while maintaining his college eligibility. He was still expected to test the predraft process after announcing on May 1 that he would utilize his fifth year of college and return to Creighton for the 2024-25 season.

The 7-footer, who also tested the draft last year, was among the 78 prospects invited to the combine this week. He will instead skip the event and be replaced by Washington State junior Jaylen Wells.

Kalkbrenner was named the Big East Defensive Player of the Year for a third straight season, averaging 17.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.1 blocks and 1.3 assists on 64.6% shooting from the field. He ranked second in the country in blocks per game and seventh in field-goal percentage.

He became the third Big East player to win the award at least three times, joining Patrick Ewing (four times; 1982-1985) and Alonzo Mourning (three times; 1989-1990, 1992). He became the first Creighton player since 1985 to have at least 100 blocks in a season (107).

With their defensive anchor back, the Bluejays add No. 38 prospect Jackson McAndrew and No. 64 prospect Larry Johnson to the roster for the upcoming season. The program also signed Ty Davis, the 25th-ranked combo guard in the class.

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Big East Defensive Player of the Year Ryan Kalkbrenner to return to Creighton for 5th year

Kalkbrenner was the Big East Defensive Player of the Year for a third straight year, averaging 17.3 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.1 blocks.

Creighton senior Ryan Kalkbrenner announced Wednesday on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he will utilize his fifth year of eligibility and return to school for the 2024-25 season.

Kalkbrenner was named the Big East Defensive Player of the Year for a third straight season, averaging 17.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.1 blocks and 1.3 assists on 64.6% shooting from the field. He ranked second in the country in blocks per game and seventh in field-goal percentage.

The 7-footer became the third Big East player to win the award at least three times, joining Patrick Ewing (four times; 1982-1985) and Alonzo Mourning (three times; 1989-1990, 1992). He also became the first Creighton player since 1985 to have at least 100 blocks in a season (107).

Kalkbrenner was among the undergraduates who declared for the 2024 NBA draft ahead of the early entrant deadline. He was expected to test the predraft process for the second consecutive summer and ultimately return to school for a fifth year.

With their defensive anchor back, the Bluejays also add No. 38 prospect Jackson McAndrew and No. 64 prospect Larry Johnson to the roster next season. The program also signed Ty Davis, the 25th-ranked combo guard in the class.

The Bluejays have qualified for the NCAA Tournament in each year with Kalbrenner on the roster. He has more March Madness appearances (11) and wins (8) than any player in program history and is one of two to play in four tournaments.

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Creighton big man Ryan Kalkbrenner to return for final year

Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner announces return to the Blue Jays for fifth and final year of college basketball eligibility.

Three time Big East Defensive Player of the Year Ryan Kalkbrenner made it official on Wednesday: he wants a chance to win one more.

Kalkbrenner will use his COVID eligibility to return for one more year with the Creighton Blue Jays, coming off the best season of his career in Omaha.

The 7’0 center averaged 17.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.1 blocks, and 1.3 assists in 2023-24 with coach Greg McDermott’s team, helping lead Creighton to a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament and an appearance in the Sweet 16 before they fell to Tennessee.

McDermott had some fun with Kalkbrenner’s decision, mimicking a tweet from Kansas coach Bill Self last week which encouraged Hunter Dickinson to return to the Jayhawks.

Kalkbrenner then posted his announcement, returning to the Blue Jays alongside point guard Steven Ashworth and forward Mason Miller.

While the program lost Baylor Scheierman and Trey Alexander to the NBA, they already brought in two capable replacements in Texas Tech point guard Pop Isaacs and Arizona State wing Jamiya Neal, and will once again be among the top teams in the Big East – and the entire country.

Ryan Kalkbrenner to withdraw from NBA draft, return to Creighton

Kalkbrenner was named the Big East Defensive Player of the Year after averaging 15.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks.

Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner announced Monday on social media that he will withdraw from the 2023 NBA draft and return to school for his senior season.

Kalkbrenner was among the prospects that competed in the draft combine earlier this month in Chicago, Illinois. He also participated in pre-draft workouts and was said to have visited with the Brooklyn Nets and Chicago Bulls among others.

The 7-footer was named the Big East Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight time this past season after averaging 15.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 1.2 assists. He ranked third in the country in field-goal percentage (69.5) and 15th in blocks (72).

Kalkbrenner was viewed as a potential second-round pick this year. The decision to return to school likely came after gaining feedback from teams throughout the pre-draft process. He had until Wednesday to withdraw from the draft and return to school.

With Kalkbrenner back in the fold, the Bluejays figure to be one of the top teams in the country and a favorite to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight year.

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Creighton will be without big man Ryan Kalkbrenner for the rest of the NCAA tournament

Detailing the injury news surrounding Creighton’s sophomore center.

No. 9 Creighton’s overtime win over No. 8 San Diego State in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament was exciting for the program but came at an expense.

The Bluejays lost their starting center, Ryan Kalkbrenner, in the extra period after he went down (without contact) and grabbed at his knee. The injury, as it turns out, isn’t as bad as it appeared to be.

Creighton head coach Greg McDermott reported on Twitter Friday afternoon that the sophomore center’s knee injury is “not as significant as originally thought,” but that he’ll be sidelined for the rest of the tourney.

While the news is encouraging for both the player’s and the team’s long-term future, it makes the Bluejays’ road to a consecutive Sweet Sixteen appearance even tougher. Creighton will face the region’s No. 1 seed Kansas Jayhawks on Saturday for a chance to make back-to-back appearances in the Sweet Sixteen.

And while the young and inexperienced Bluejays are maybe a year ahead of schedule after losing five starters from a season ago, the Jayhawks are where everyone expected them to be.

Kansas is one of the best college basketball teams in the nation — as shown all season long. The Jayhawks look to be in peak form after winning its last six games while scoring a Big 12 Tournament championship, and a dominant 83-56 first-round win over Texas Southern in the NCAA Tournament along the way.

Kansas opens Saturday’s matchup with Creighton as an 11.5-point favorite at Tipico Sportsbook.

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