WVU Players Hit Transfer Portal Following Huggins Resignation

West Virginia point guard Kerr Kriisa has made the decision to enter the transfer portal following the resignation of longtime Mountaineers coach Bob Huggins. Kriisa informed ESPN’s Jonathan Givony about his transfer plans on Friday.

Kerr Krissa has been considered to be a great on-ball defender. The 6-foot-3 combo guard would be a nice addition to the Memphis Tiger backcourt. Krissa was headed to West Virginia but has now been reported back into the portal. @GoTigers247 @Memphis_MBB pic.twitter.com/m0GjfIDNKe

— LEON DEVON TAYLOR (@Leontaylor1983) June 24, 2023

Krissa Was Considered the Top PG in the Transfer Portal

Kriisa was highly sought after as a transfer earlier this spring before ultimately choosing to transfer to West Virginia from Arizona. Due to the coaching change, NCAA rules allow Kriisa and others a 30-day window to transfer without sitting out a season or needing a waiver. Huggins officially resigned from his position shortly after being arrested for DUI in Pittsburgh. In a statement, Huggins expressed his intention to retire.

The 69-year-old Huggins was arrested on June 16 in Pittsburgh after police found his car blocking a road with the driver-side door open and a shredded tire. Huggins failed a field sobriety test and reportedly had a breathalyzer reading of .210. Officers discovered an empty beer can-filled trash bag on the passenger-side floor of his vehicle. This marked Huggins’ second DUI, the first occurring in 2004 while he was coaching at Cincinnati. It was also his second incident of the offseason, as he previously faced a fine and suspension from West Virginia for using an anti-gay slur during a radio appearance.

Huggins retired as the winningest active head coach in college basketball, accumulating 935 career wins during his coaching tenure at Walsh, Akron, Cincinnati, Kansas State, and West Virginia—where he also played college basketball. He made two Final Four appearances and won 10 conference tournament titles.

More Players Expected to Leave

Kerr Kriisa is the second West Virginia player to enter the transfer portal since Huggins’ resignation. Tre Mitchell made his entry on Thursday, followed by Joe Toussaint on Friday. Toussaint, who transferred to West Virginia from Iowa before the last season, averaged 9.4 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. Mitchell, who previously played at UMass and Texas, contributed 11.7 points and 5.5 rebounds during his time at West Virginia.

During his tenure at Arizona, Kriisa had a career-high season, averaging 9.9 points and 5.1 assists while shooting nearly 40% from the field. He led the Pac-12 in assists and helped the Wildcats win the Pac-12 tournament for the second consecutive season. The Estonia native still has two seasons of eligibility remaining.

Although Kriisa’s next destination remains uncertain, reports indicate that he was considering Memphis, Cincinnati, and Nebraska before choosing West Virginia. He has not ruled out the possibility of returning to the Mountaineers, but entering the transfer portal allows him to explore other options while West Virginia searches for Huggins’ replacement.