NCAA clearinghouse issue to sideline Wildcats guard Kerr Kriisa for at least a week

Arizona freshman guard Kerr Kriisa will miss at least the first week of the season because of what the school called an NCAA clearinghouse issue, and has instead returned home to play briefly for the Estonian national team next week.

One of five European players UA signed last spring, Kriisa played for the Lithuanian club Zalgiris last season, mostly with its junior team but also briefly for its top-level team. He was expected to play a major role for the Wildcats this season at both point guard and shooting guard.

Typically, players are run through the NCAA clearinghouse process by the end of the summer, but European players can take longer while the NCAA tries to verify their amateur status. Both Gonzaga (Martynas Arlauskas) and Washington State (Volodymyr Markovetskyy) have players who have been cleared after playing for Zalgiris.

Domestic and international high school athletes who want to become eligible under NCAA rules are allowed to accept payments from teams, outside funds for training and prize money as long as it does not exceed the costs of training and/or competing. Among the costs considered necessary are meals, travel costs, apparel, insurance, instruction and medical treatment/therapy. 

Back to homepage

Subscriber Login

Keep reading with a digital access subscription.

Subscribe now

In its release, UA said Kriisa had not been cleared to play for the Wildcats by the NCAA Eligibility Center as part of the standard initial certification process and that it is "continuing to work with the NCAA to resolve the matter."

While he waits for an answer, Kriisa will play for Estonia in Eurobasket 2022 qualifying games against Russia on Saturday and against North Macedonia on Nov. 30. Both games will be played in Tallinn, Estonia, about two hours' drive from Kriisa's hometown.

“Given the situation, this is a great opportunity for Kerr,” Arizona head coach Sean Miller said. “We wish him the best of luck in the competition and look forward to his safe return to Arizona.”

Kriisa at least will miss the Wildcats' scheduled games on Friday against Grambling State, on Sunday against UTEP and possibly on Dec. 2 against Colorado. Without Krissa, UA's top guards will include James Akinjo, Terrell Brown and Jemarl Baker.