After a long wait to learn if he would make it through the NCAAβs Eligibility Center, Arizona freshman Kerr Kriisa was told to wait some more Monday.
But heβll take it: After acknowledging last month that he might not be able to play at all this season, Kriisa found out the NCAA will let him play starting with Arizonaβs Feb. 6 game at Colorado.
βITβS GO TIME!!!!!β Kriisa tweeted shortly after UAβs announcement.
A freshman from Estonia, Kriisa had been stuck in the NCAA clearinghouse after playing for Lithuanian club Zalgiris and having a representative last season.
Kriisa told reporters in Estonia he did not sign a professional contract, but the NCAAβs delayed ruling β suggesting an appeals process went on behind the scenes β meant he must effectively sit out first 70% of Arizonaβs games this season.
UAβs statement offered no detail on why Kriisaβs eligibility was delayed or ultimately approved.
The decision means the Wildcats will have another key shooter and ballhandler available in the backcourt, at least toward the end of the season.
βI am extremely excited that Kerr will get the opportunity to play at some point this season,β Arizona head coach Sean Miller said in a statement. βI am happy for both Kerr and his family that they know he has a clear and bright future at the University of Arizona. Our coaching staff, our team and our fans all love having him as a part of our program.β
Under NCAA rules, international players are allowed to retain amateur status and play in college if the money they received did not exceed the cost of their training and participation to play for clubs or in other events.
Because Kriisa did not know if he would become eligible earlier this season, he left the Wildcats briefly to return home and play in FIBA EuroBasket qualifying game for Estonia against Russia on Nov. 28.
A second Estonia game against North Macedonia was canceled because of COVID-19 issues with expected opponent North Macedonia, and Kerr returned to Tucson on Dec. 3.
βBecause heβs not eligible at the moment to play, I thought it was right for both him and his family and Estonia the country,β UA coach Sean Miller said on Nov. 27 of Kriisaβs trip. βWeβre hopeful that he can be eligible to play. Heβs a big part of our team. Heβs a very good shooter, playmaker (and he) gives us more depth.β
While he was in Estonia last month, Kriisa told local media that he was aware he might not be cleared at all this season to play collegiately, but Kriisa still returned to Tucson not knowing his NCAA fate.
Since returning, Kriisa spent a week away from the Wildcats to follow COVID protocols, and has since joined them for practices.
Kriisa has been expected to play a major role in the Wildcatsβ rotation. Before committing to the Wildcats in April, he played well enough last season that Zalgiris briefly promoted him to its senior club.
At 19, heβs also already become a standout for his national team. In Estoniaβs 84-56 loss to Russia on Nov. 28, Kriisa went scoreless while missing all four 3-pointers he took and had three turnovers to his lone assist β but in part because Russia tweaked its defense especially for him.
Russia coach Sergei Bazarevich assigned 33-year-old point guard Evgenii Baburin to guarding Kriisa β even though Baburin was also the offensive hero, hitting 5 of 8 3-pointers and scoring 19 points.
βHis main task was to deal with the Estonian leader and the most talented playerβ for Estonia, Bazarevich said of Kriisa, according to the Postimees of Tallinn, Estonia.
βStability cannot be expected from such a young player yet. We knew it and took advantage of it. Sometimes we went (at) him with two men.β
