The Kriisa name is respected in Estonia. Valmo Kriisa made sure of that.
Valmo played guard for multiple professional teams throughout Estonia and was a national team member from 1995 to 2011. Over his 24-year career, he built one of the all-time résumés in Estonian basketball history: four-time Estonian League Champion, Estonian Player of the Year in 2007, Estonian League MVP in 2010.
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He also managed to squeeze in a Dutch League Championship in 2004.
He’s the father of Arizona’s newest backcourt commit, Kerr Kriisa. Now it’s Kerr’s turn to add to the family legacy.
Kerr remembers watching from the stands as a kid while his father battled against some of Estonia’s best. It’s what inspired him to pick up a basketball in the first place. It was the natural choice. Basketball is in his veins.
“I never wanted to put pressure on myself because my dad was a player,” Kerr said. “I wanted to do my own thing, but year after year I realized I was pretty good at (basketball). And I knew if I invested more time, then I could be good.”
Valmo hung it up in 2017 at the age of 42. But before retiring, he was blessed with the opportunity to face off against his son in a regulation game, bringing his career full circle. Kerr, 19, has ambitions to play professionally just like his father. But he’s decided to take a different path, opting to play college basketball in the States first rather than jumping straight to the pros.
He’s hoping Arizona coach Sean Miller will better prepare him for the stages his father once graced. And while he improves, for however long he decides to remain in school, he plans on soaking up everything the college experience has to offer. He’ll certainly be doing it in one of college basketball’s more storied places.
“I’ve talked with a lot of players who did play in college, guys I’ve played with,” he said. “They said college life is so different. They talk about how the environment is crazy and how people are always cheering for you. That’s what I’m really looking forward to.”
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If the Estonian’s last name didn’t bring him enough attention back home, his first name, Kerr, certainly will in Tucson. And according to the Arizona Daily Star, it isn’t a coincidence.
Kerr is actually named after former Wildcats legend Steve Kerr, whose No. 25 jersey hangs from the rafters of McKale Center. The funny thing is, Kerr Kriisa had no idea Steve Kerr even played at Arizona. He did, however, know that Steve Kerr played on the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls teams of the 1990s.
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The Athletic was able to reach the Golden State Warriors head coach for comment. He couldn’t say much about his homonymous counterpart, but did provide a bit of humor.
“The only thing I can say is that I’m flattered,” he said, “but if I was Sean Miller, I’d try to recruit someone named ‘Elliott’ instead.”
The newest Kerr, a 6-foot-2 point guard, is the best European recruit committing to the college route, according to ESPN. He’ll be joining an Arizona backcourt that features Georgetown transfer James Akinjo, Seattle graduate transfer Terrell Brown, returners Jemarl Baker Jr., Brandon Williams and newcomers Dalen Terry and Ben Mathurin. Terry and Mathurin aren’t expected to be used as primary ballhandlers but possess a bevy of point guard experience.
When it comes to pure point guard play, selflessly creating for others, Kriisa might prove to be the more seasoned of the group. Playing on an amateur contract for second-division Zalgiris II of the Lithuanian National Basketball League last season, he averaged 14.3 points and 5.7 assists in 25 minutes per game while shooting 39 percent from 3 and 84 percent from the free throw line. Kriisa has made appearances on the Estonian junior national team in the FIBA U16 and U18 European Championships and was called up to the senior national team for its Feb. 23 matchup against Italy in the FIBA European qualifier.
He recorded five assists in 18 minutes of action against the Italian national team, though he went 0-for-5 from the floor. He says it was a memorable experience, regardless of the poor shooting performance. He was in a unique position. Most teenagers don’t get that kind of experience, and he hopes that will work to his advantage in Tucson.
“I’ve watched him on YouTube, his game is nice,” said fellow 2020 Arizona commit Mathurin. “He passes the ball well. He shoots the ball well. I feel like he’s a leader. You could see it in the way he talked to his teammates.”
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Kriisa also participated in the Basketball Without Borders Global camp in Charlotte as part of NBA All-Star 2019, earning a late invite after being named MVP of the Adidas Next Generational Tournament in Kaunas. Sixty-nine former BWB campers have been drafted into the NBA or signed as free agents, so he was in good company.
The three-day camp featured the top high school-age international prospects from around the world, and they participated in a variety of activities on and off the court, including movement efficiency, skill development stations, shooting and skills competitions, 5-on-5 games, and daily life skills seminars. Kerr won the GRIT Award in recognition of his hustle and defensive play throughout the camp. (Valmo was recognized as the Estonian League’s best defender in 2007. Grit must run in the family.)
Another interesting note: former Wildcat Deandre Ayton served as a coach at the camp; he had participated as a camper in BWB Global in Toronto during NBA All-Star 2016.
Kriisa said Arizona began recruiting him last October and remained in constant communication. Assistant coach Jack Murphy made two trips to visit him in Europe, including once on New Year’s Eve, which resonated deeply with the 19-year-old. It made him feel comfortable.
Since he couldn’t take his official visit this month because of coronavirus travel restrictions, Murphy was able to sell the program by showing him photos, videos and various PowerPoint presentations. Kriisa became enamored of the culture of Arizona basketball and their vision for his development.
He said he might be taking “a little bit of a risk” by signing with Arizona without actually spending any physical time in Tucson. But said he’s confident that he’ll “love the place.” Oregon, BYU and Washington State were also in the mix. He said Syracuse reached out late in the process, but by that point, he was already all-in on the Wildcats.
“The process was pretty fun,” Kriisa said. “It’s not just hearing what coaches tell you. It’s building connections with people, coaches, learning about the cultures.
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“I felt that college is a good choice for me. I could’ve gone pro, but I decided I wanted to develop and gain more weight and I believe that Arizona is the perfect place for that. I think my mom also feels better now that I’m going to college because basketball careers aren’t forever. I think she feels a little bit safer knowing her son will have some studies to fall back on.”
ESPN college basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla said he “won’t be the best Kerr to play for the Wildcats,” but a solid addition to Miller’s 2020 roster who will improve with experience.
“He’s certainly not an NBA prospect because of his size and frame, but he has good Pac-12 point guard skills potential,” Fraschilla said. “He is an above-average shooter, has good quickness and has an above-average basketball IQ. In addition, he gained a lot of experience around players who are better than Pac-12 players this season. Two of his teammates were former college stars, Nigel Hayes and Thomas Walkup, and he was coached by European legend and former Maryland Terp, Saras Jasikevicius.”
Kriisa’s commitment leaves Arizona with three open scholarships. The Wildcats will likely make a play to address their frontcourt depth next. Purdue graduate transfer Matt Haarms remains in the transfer portal. The 7-foot-3 Dutch center will be immediately eligible this season and has Arizona listed in his final 10.
(Photo: David Grau / Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images)