WVU transfer Kerr Kriisa suspended 9 games for Arizona issue

West Virginia guard Kerr Kriisa will face a nine-game suspension this season after confessing to accepting impermissible benefits while at Arizona, according to an announcement by the school on Tuesday.

Kriisa, who had impressive stats of 9.9 PPG and 5.1 APG at Arizona last season, remained committed to West Virginia even after the departure of Bob Huggins, who retired following a DUI arrest earlier this summer.

West Virginia became aware of Kriisa’s potential violations in August, as stated in their official statement.

“In late August 2023, West Virginia University became aware of a potential eligibility concern regarding Kerr Kriisa, a transfer student-athlete in men’s basketball who admitted to receiving impermissible benefits while enrolled at the University of Arizona,” the statement read. “West Virginia cooperated with the NCAA Student-Athlete Reinstatement Staff to find a suitable resolution. As a result, Kriisa will miss nine (9) regular-season games in the 2023-2024 season as part of his eligibility reinstatement. However, he will still be able to practice and travel with the team during the suspension. He takes full responsibility for his actions at Arizona and looks forward to joining his Mountaineer teammates on the court.”

It remains unclear if Kriisa’s admission will have any implications for Arizona, which is currently on probation for three years due to an NCAA infractions case. In December, the Independent Accountability Resolution Process (IARP) announced a 10-year show-cause penalty for former Arizona assistant Book Richardson, but former head coach Sean Miller, who recently agreed to an extension at Xavier, was not penalized.

NCAA spokeswoman Meghan Durham declined to provide specific details on eligibility cases and directed inquiries to the respective schools involved.

As part of the IARP decision related to the FBI’s investigation into college basketball in 2017, Arizona has been instructed to inform prospective student-athletes in men’s basketball and swimming and diving about their three-year probation and the details of the committed violations.

The definition of “impermissible benefits” in the era of name, image, and likeness remains uncertain. Messages to the NCAA regarding this matter were not promptly answered.

Kriisa, who hails from Estonia and previously played in Lithuania, faces additional complexities regarding NIL rules as an international player due to student visa regulations and limitations on outside employment for international students.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement released a memo in 2021, stating that they are actively monitoring the use of name, image, and likeness for student athletes and are coordinating with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to assess how this legislation affects international student-athletes.

ESPN’s sources suggest that the NCAA would not intervene if an international student-athlete received an NIL deal, considering it compliant and not constituting impermissible benefits.

Kriisa’s suspension adds to the list of challenges for West Virginia, which was projected to finish ninth in this season’s Big 12 preseason poll.

In June, Huggins resigned and retired following a controversial period that involved his use of a gay slur during a radio interview and a subsequent DUI arrest. Huggins subsequently filed a lawsuit against the school in an attempt to regain his position, arguing that he never officially resigned. Josh Eilert, a former assistant under Huggins, has assumed the role of interim head coach.

Earlier this month, the NCAA denied a transfer waiver for RaeQuan Battle, a high-scoring player from Montana State, who did not obtain a degree from Montana State or Washington, his previous school. West Virginia has appealed this decision in order to grant Battle immediate eligibility.

Additionally, Akok Akok, who previously played at UConn and Georgetown, is currently recovering from a “medical emergency” that occurred during a charity exhibition game against George Mason.

Kriisa, the transfer from Arizona, joined West Virginia this offseason as a potential team leader during the program’s first season without Huggins on the sidelines since the 2007-08 campaign.

When asked about the team’s ability to bond amid a tumultuous offseason during Big 12 media day, Kriisa expressed confidence, stating “I think we’re in a good spot right now. I was never really worried about team chemistry.”