From #Baylor guard LJ Cryer’s personal Instagram account. Cryer is declaring for the #NBA Draft while maintaining his eligibility. #SicEm🏀 pic.twitter.com/T3eIbnOhNr

— Michael Haag (@MichaelHaag_) March 29, 2023

A little surprised by this but we've had players in the past test their current NBA draft status and determine what they do from there. Per my own selfish desires as a fan, I hope he returns.

I'm also wondering if there are "durability" concerns as far as the NBA goes given his chronic injury issues over the last two seasons.

Was Cryer the most valuable player on the team this year? Either he or Flagler would get my vote.

He is only doing what Flagler and MM did the past couple years, getting feedback on how to improve his game. I think we will welcome him back with open arms and he will look to improve his play-making skills and have more of a role facilitating the offense next year.

IowaBear said:

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Love Cryer but the reviews he's going to get won't be kind. He's undersized and a 1 trick pony (his 3pt shooting) couple that with his injury history and inability to defend whatsoever. Again not knocking him but those are things that are definite weaknesses in his game. He's a great shooter no doubt about. Takes more than that to play in the NBA

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He won't be drafted this year and almost certainly not next year. He'll go the G-League route and probably end up in Europe somewhere, which is nothing to scoff at. The reality is he's a defensive liability, isn't at all reliable off the dribble, and even at the college level struggles mightily to make his own shots. In a year where we didn't have a PG, it's telling Cryer was never even remotely an option. And it's not because he's a great shooter.

The only way to be an undersized range shooter in the NBA is to have the handles to make your own shots, and that's all he'd be drafted for. Go down the list of top 3-point shooters at Cryer's size in the NBA, and they were all ball-handlers in college. He just has no obvious niche in the league, which is all teams will see.

Love this guy. But I don't know about his NBA potential.

Hope he is back but we have to get better as a team at getting to the hole and playing defense.

If he can find a way to get better in this area it will help us and his NBA potential. I just don't know if he has the size, quickness, and strength to make that next step in his game. I hope so.

JP1037 said:

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Love this guy. But I don't know about his NBA potential.

Hope he is back but we have to get better as a team at getting to the hole and playing defense.

If he can find a way to get better in this area it will help us and his NBA potential. I just don't know if he has the size, quickness, and strength to make that next step in his game. I hope so.

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I don't think he has much unfortunately. He's an elite shooter, but he's way too small to play shooting guard in the league and, unlike Flagler, doesn't possess the skills to become even passable as a point guard.

I like Cryer, but he's the most extreme 'tweener case we've had, and we've seen lots of great players with better physical gifts and more complete games passed over by or squeezed out of the NBA.

I'm grateful for what he's done at Baylor and cannot criticize him for looking at any possible options.

And if he faces future health problems, he'd like to get a bit of $$ first.

BearlyBeloved said:

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I'm grateful for what he's done at Baylor and cannot criticize him for looking at any possible options.

And if he faces future health problems, he'd like to get a bit of $$ first.

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I don't begrudge him the right to explore his options, I just think he has about as much chance to get drafted as you or I do.

And that's not meant to denigrate him. Cryer is an excellent offensive player at the college level. He just doesn't fit the NBA mold or have a dynamic enough game to break it.

BearlyBeloved said:

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Speaking for myself, I have ZERO potential for the NBA.

Whatever his level, Cryer has tons more potential than me!

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Yea, I was gonna say ... Cryer won't get drafted but he has 1 million times more of a chance of getting drafted than any keyboard warrior on this board.

In a related vein:

How about Kansas State's 5-foot-8 Markquis Nowell?

Let's hear the great prognostications about his potential NBA career.

The guy is incredible!

But I read somewhere that nobody in the NBA today is under 5-foot-11.

BearlyBeloved said:

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In a related vein:

How about Kansas State's 5-foot-8 Markquis Nowell?

Let's hear the great prognostications about his potential NBA career.

The guy is incredible!

But I read somewhere that nobody in the NBA today is under 5-foot-11.

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Davion Mitchell is listed at 6-0.5. So, it's possible.

Markquis Nowell might be 5'6". Maybe. If he's 5'8", then I should be listed at 6'3".

Nowell and Cryer are way different players regardless of size comparison.

Nowell can create on the dribble and get to the rim. He is a very good passer. He plays defense hard even though he is physically overmatched almost every game. He is a leader. He is a great ball handler. He can create space to get shots off even at his size.

Cryer is a great 3 point shooter. Cryer has learned how to get a 6-8 shot off in the lane, but he is not a great passer and can't get to the rim. He doesn't handle the ball well under pressure.

Cryer does ONE thing great. One of the best shots I have ever seen, but he is average in many areas beyond that. However, coaches are in love with the one thing he does better than anyone.

One single attribute can be enough to love somebody, right??

I would definitely draft Nowell. Players with his ability to play point and pass the ball are not common, even in the NBA.

Not surprising and should go and get that feedback. But there are too many issues for it to be a viable path right now. Overseas play would be a definite option.

When you are that size you have to have plus athleticism at the pro level. Unfortunately has avg or slightly below avg for the college game so it just isn't there. That is a pre requisite requirement in addition to all the other issues already mentioned.

Ball handling, playmaking, passing need to be pristine at that size. Defensive quickness and desire must be excellent as you are going to be a liability at that size defending larger highly skilled players. We know many of those just don't fit. Hope we're all wrong.. after next year

BearlyBeloved said:

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One single attribute can be enough to love somebody, right??

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I am still trying to find at least attribute that my wife loves about me, so yes it is possible as she says she loves me.

Cryer is a rare shooting talent indeed.

bear2be2 said:

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EvilTroyAndAbed said:

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BearlyBeloved said:

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Speaking for myself, I have ZERO potential for the NBA.

Whatever his level, Cryer has tons more potential than me!

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Yea, I was gonna say ... Cryer won't get drafted but he has 1 million times more of a chance of getting drafted than any keyboard warrior on this board.

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You can't say "Cryer won't get drafted" in one breath and then say "but he has 1 million times more of a chance of getting drafted than any keyboard warrior on this board" in the next. The first part of that sentence literally contradicts the second.

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The dangers of hyperbole on both sides. It's not really a contradiction when both sides of the issue exaggerate to that degree. Keyboard warriors tend to use hyperbole & absolutes when in reality they are guessing. Cryer probably won't get drafted but there may be a very slim chance that he does. Scouts & teams sometimes see things differently than we do. That said, Cryer has a much bigger chance of being drafted than any of us because we really do have zero chance.

Great post! I fully agree. I commend LJ for going through the process, to get feedback in order to improve his game. Everyone knows his flaws and that he won't be drafted, including LJ himself, so no need for anyone to pile on. I am sure our staff is doing a lot of re-recruiting and showing him love. NBA draft won't happen, but transferring is a real possibility. He will be the focal point of our offense and and all-conference player if he decides to return.

Crawfoso1973 said:

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Great post! I fully agree. I commend LJ for going through the process, to get feedback in order to improve his game. Everyone knows his flaws and that he won't be drafted, including LJ himself, so no need for anyone to pile on. I am sure our staff is doing a lot of re-recruiting and showing him love. NBA draft won't happen, but transferring is a real possibility. He will be the focal point of our offense and and all-conference player if he decides to return.

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I don't view saying what everyone here knows to be piling on. It's just the reality of the situation.

He will receive material NIL money and good for him

A team that is literally "one player short" needing an elite 3 point player would be a natural fit for him.

I hope Baylor is able to keep him but he won't be cheap.

Actually, some might define that as "piling on", especially if it has already been said multiple times.

historian said:

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Actually, some might define that as "piling on", especially if it has already been said multiple times.

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Then "some" are too sensitive.

I see no value in entertaining delusions about our players' NBA prospects. I'll leave such nonsense to BUCANDOIT. The truth is not an insult. It's just the truth.

The reality of the situation is that LJ Cryer, while a great kid and excellent shooter/college basketball player, is not an NBA talent. It just is what it is. He wasn't blessed with the physical gifts necessary to reach the pinnacle of the sport.

That doesn't mean he can't have a long and lucrative career playing it professionally. It just won't be in the NBA.

No one on here thinks he has a legit chance of being drafted. He is just getting feedback from the process to improve his game, whether it be at Baylor or as a transfer elsewehere. I would love to have him back as he would be the focal point of our offense and an all-conference player.

Crawfoso1973 said:

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No one on here thinks he has a legit chance of being drafted. He is just getting feedback from the process to improve his game, whether it be at Baylor or as a transfer elsewehere. I would love to have him back as he would be the focal point of our offense and an all-conference player.

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Then we all agree.

I didn't say I disagreed. My point was about semantics.

Cryer gone.. transfer portal.

I could see Tang going after him.

NIL… someone offered him the big bucks

Cashing in which is how it's going to be in this era if you aren't a given first rounder in the league. Will be a top 3 offensive player in the entire portal no matter who else enters. Bidding will happen.

I would guess one of K-State, Purdue, Ark, Ku, A&M.. . Almost signed with Purdue before and they need scoring punch to go along with their big.