A familiar face from the Big 12 could fill out one of Kansas basketball’s roster spots, and he told reporters he would prefer to transfer within the conference.
The Kansas Jayhawks are losing a significant jump shooter with Gradey Dick’s expected departure. Even Jalen Wilson, who is not the most promising three-point shooter, sunk 1.9 per game this past season. They must roam the transfer portal to uncover someone who is a perimeter threat.
Look no further than LJ Cryer, this year’s starting point guard for the Baylor Bears. His elite 45.3/41.5/89.4 shooting splits resemble the exact type of player that Kansas needs. Although undersized at 6’1″, he and Dajuan Harris would be able to coexist. Harris is an exceptional defender and a pass-first point guard, while Cryer could be one of the team’s primary scoring options.
Over his sophomore and junior seasons, Cryer has been one of the nation’s ultimate three-point scorers. Threes make up more than half of his shot attempts per game, yet he has shot 43.4% from behind the arc during this period. Against Kansas this season, he hit a combined eight threes in their pair of games.
Cryer’s familiarity with the Big 12 makes him the perfect fit for KU, as he is already knowledgeable about opposing players from his term in Waco. In fact, he told Mark Berman of Fox 26 that he would prefer to transfer within the conference.
He has spoken with rivals from the conference such as Texas, K-State, and Houston. The expectation is that Cryer will schedule visits with all these schools, including Kansas.
Reports suggest that Kansas State is his most probable landing spot, but it would round out next year’s team if Kansas could pick up a player with a shooting stroke as pure as Cryer’s. Pairing him with Dajuan Harris, KJ Adams, and an elite big man (Hunter Dickinson) would make up one of the best Jayhawks teams in recent history.
Gradey Dick served a much different role on Kansas than LJ Cryer would, as he is a much taller wing player. However, Cryer could offer plenty to the table if Kansas basketball lands him. There is arguably no better jump shooter in the transfer portal than him.