Baylor Guard LJ Cryer Declares for 2023 NBA Draft
Baylor Bears guard LJ Cryer announced that he will be entering the 2023 NBA Draft on Wednesday morning, one day after Keyonte George announced the same.
However, the Bears haven’t officially lost Cryer, as he plans to enter the draft yet maintain collegiate eligibility in the event that the buzz around him isn’t enough for his future.
“Baylor Family, First off, I want to thank God for bringing me to Baylor and allowing me to play in front of great fans and with incredible teammates,” Cryer started in a statement on Twitter. “I want to thank the coaches for pouring into me over these last three years, and I especially want to thank my family for believing in me and supporting me every step of the way. While it has been a dream to play college basketball at the highest level, I want to explore my options at the professional level as well. That said, I have decided to declare for the NBA Draft while maintaining my eligibility.”
The 2022-2023 season was Cryer’s best season as a Bear so far, averaging 15.0 PPG, 2.1 RPG and 2.0 ASP, all while shooting 45.3% from the field. Cryer has been known as a 3-point specialist as well as an all-around player, shooting an impressive 41.5% from the 3-point line.
Cryer and the Bears’ season ended earlier than many expected, losing 85-76 in the Sweet 16 to Creighton. In the event that Cryer does decide to enter the draft, the Bears backcourt is going to be thin following his loss, along with that of George and presumably Adam Flagler as well.
In the event that Cryer does return to Baylor, his senior year would likely be his best yet, as he’s continued to grow on the court every year. Regardless, with Scott Drew leading the charge for the Bears, expect one of the nation’s top programs to develop talent to fill these roles as well as bring in some new recruits.
